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Assembly Election 2026 Live: The voting started for the Assembly elections with over 5 crore voters heading to polls in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, with tight contests and enhanced EC monitoring measures in place.

Voting Begins Across Three Key Regions

The first phase of Assembly elections will get underway on April 9 across Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry, with more than five crore voters eligible to cast their ballots. Data from the Election Commission of India shows that Kerala has nearly three crore voters, Assam over two crore, and Puducherry more than nine lakh.

The polls come as the current legislative terms near completion. Assam’s 126-member Assembly will end on May 20, Kerala’s 140-member House on May 23, and Puducherry’s 30-member Assembly on June 15.

Multi-Cornered Contests Heat Up

The electoral contest is expected to be fiercely competitive in all three regions. In Assam, the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is facing the Congress across all constituencies.

Kerala is witnessing its traditional battle between the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front, while the NDA is also attempting to expand its footprint in the state.

In Puducherry, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy is leading the ruling alliance of the All India N.R. Congress, BJP, and AIADMK against a coalition of Congress, DMK, and CPI across all 30 constituencies.

Byelections & Election Timeline

In addition to the Assembly polls, byelections in eight constituencies across six states are being conducted. The first phase of these byelections, covering Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, and Tripura, will also take place on April 9. Counting is scheduled for May 4, with the process expected to conclude by May 6.

The election schedule began with the issuance of the gazette notification on March 16. Nomination filing closed on March 23, scrutiny was completed on March 24, and candidates had until March 26 to withdraw their names.

EC Rolls Out Transparency Measures

To ensure a smooth voting process, the Election Commission has introduced several voter-friendly and monitoring initiatives. Polling stations will provide Assured Minimum Facilities, including drinking water, toilets, and clear signage.

Additionally, a cap of 1,200 voters per polling station has been enforced to reduce congestion. Authorities have also implemented 100 percent webcasting to enable real-time monitoring of the voting process.

Model Code In Effect

The Model Code of Conduct came into force immediately after the announcement by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. He clarified that while decisions taken before the MCC remain valid, all subsequent actions must strictly adhere to election norms.

The Commission has also intensified coordination with administrative and law enforcement officials, including Chief Electoral Officers, Chief Secretaries, and Directors General of Police, to ensure readiness across all polling regions.

With all systems in place, the opening phase of voting is set to play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape across Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.