Polling has commenced in Assam, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry on Thursday, marking a key phase of the ongoing Assembly elections across the country.
Voting began at 7 AM, with long queues forming outside polling stations as voters turned out early to cast their ballots. Elections are being held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 seats in Kerala, and 30 seats in Puducherry.
In Kerala, more than 2.7 crore voters are eligible to vote, deciding the fate of 883 candidates. The state has witnessed strong participation since morning, with many young voters and senior citizens visiting polling booths. Authorities have set up over 30,000 polling stations and deployed around 1.46 lakh polling personnel to facilitate smooth conduct of the elections.
In Puducherry, over 9.4 lakh voters are exercising their franchise across 30 constituencies, where 294 candidates are contesting. Enhanced security arrangements have been put in place, with vulnerable polling stations under close monitoring and additional forces deployed to maintain order.
In Assam, more than 2.5 crore voters are eligible to vote in the 126-member Assembly, with 722 candidates in the fray. The state has also recorded steady voter turnout since morning, with people queuing up at polling stations across districts.
To ensure free and fair elections, authorities have made extensive arrangements across all three regions, including the deployment of polling personnel and security forces, along with the use of technologies such as webcasting and drones for monitoring the polling process.
