NEW DELHI, Apr 9 : Polling for elections to the legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, along with bye-elections in four Assembly constituencies across Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura, concluded on Thursday with largely peaceful proceedings and a surge in voter participation, the Election Commission said in a press note.
According to the Commission, Assam and Puducherry registered their highest-ever voter turnout at 85.38 per cent and 89.83 per cent respectively, surpassing their previous records of 84.67 per cent in Assam (2016) and 86.19 per cent in Puducherry (2011).
Kerala also recorded a strong turnout of 78.03 per cent, underlining sustained voter enthusiasm across the poll-bound regions.
More than 5.31 crore voters cast their ballots across 296 Assembly constituencies in the three regions.
At the same time, bye-elections were conducted in four constituencies, with turnout ranging from around 68 per cent in Karnataka to over 82 per cent in Nagaland’s Koridang seat.
Voting began at 7 am across 63,084 polling stations and proceeded smoothly with only minor incidents reported.
Over 2.5 lakh polling personnel had arrived at their respective stations a day earlier to ensure seamless operations. Mock polls were conducted before voting commenced, in the presence of over 1.8 lakh polling agents representing 1,899 candidates.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners S S Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, monitored the polling process through live webcasting.
For the first time, 100 per cent of polling stations across these elections were covered by live webcasting, enhancing transparency in the electoral process. The Commission also noted the presence of 38 delegates from 22 countries under the International Election Visitors’ Programme, who observed the conduct of polls on the ground.
Several voter-friendly measures were introduced to improve accessibility and convenience, including colour photographs of candidates on EVM ballot papers, Mobile Deposit Facilities, redesigned Voter Information Slips, and a cap of 1,200 voters per polling station to ease crowding.
Additional arrangements such as wheelchairs, volunteer support and transport facilities were provided to assist persons with disabilities. Officials said Presiding Officers updated voter turnout figures immediately after the close of polling at their respective stations, reducing delays in reporting trends.
The figures, however, remain provisional as data from some polling stations is yet to be uploaded, and final numbers will include service voters and postal ballots.
The Election Commission said the high turnout, particularly in Assam and Puducherry, reflects growing public trust and participation in the democratic process, with final results awaited.
(UNI)
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