Puducherry leads with record 89.87% turnout; Assam, Kerala register strong voting
Describing the high turnout in Assam as “historic,” CMSarma said the outcome of the election was already visible “in the hope, pride, and happiness on the faces of the people.”
People wait in queues before casting their votes at a polling station in Guwahati. (Photo:PTI)
Guwahati, Apr 10: A strong wave of voter participation marked polling across Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry on Thursday, with Puducherry setting a new benchmark.
Puducherry registered a record voter turnout of 89.87 percent, the highest since its first election in 1964 following its merger with India. The Union Territory, located about 165 km from Chennai, comprises 30 constituencies.
Assam followed with a turnout of over 85.91 percent, marking a significant rise from 82.04 percent recorded in the 2021 Assembly elections. Kerala, meanwhile, witnessed an impressive turnout of more than 78.27 percent, compared to 74.06 percent in the previous polls.
Describing the high turnout in Assam as “historic,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the outcome of the election was already visible “in the hope, pride, and happiness on the faces of the people.”
However, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi maintained that the strong voter participation reflected aspirations for a “new and greater Assam” under fresh leadership.
“It is now the responsibility of the Election Commission of India to ensure the security of EVMs and conduct the counting of votes accurately,” Gogoi added.
Both Sarma and Gogoi are among the 722 candidates contesting across 126 constituencies in Assam, where the electorate stands at around 2.5 crore.
In Kerala, where electoral contests are traditionally intense between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), a total of 883 candidates are in the fray across 140 constituencies.
CPI(M) leader C.N. Mohanan said a higher turnout would benefit the LDF, attributing it to the party’s efforts to mobilise voters. BJP Ernakulam district president K.S. Shaiju, however, credited the rise to increased participation of women voters, suggesting it would favour the BJP.
Congress leader Deepthi Mary Varghese said the reasons behind the higher turnout would require detailed analysis.
“Usually, a rise in polling percentage tends to favour the UDF, but this needs closer examination,” she said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Kelkar expressed optimism that the turnout could touch 90 percent, given the voting trend observed during the day.
With inputs from PTI