Polling Underway in Three States as Over 1 Million First-Time Voters Participate

Voting for 296 विधानसभा seats across the states of Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry commenced at 7:00 AM on Thursday and will continue until 5:00 PM. The elections in all three regions are being conducted in a single phase. Ahead of the polling, election officials carried out mock voting at all polling stations between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM to check for any malfunction in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), ensuring a smooth voting process. This election marks a significant moment as more than one million voters will be casting their votes for the first time across the three states, reflecting increased participation in the democratic process. In Kerala, the election is historic as, for the first time in 70 years, a sitting Chief Minister is contesting for a third consecutive term. Meanwhile, in Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is aiming to return to power for a third straight term under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma. In Puducherry, former Congress leader N. Rangasamy is seeking to come back to power for a fifth time after switching parties. According to official data, in Assam, a total of 722 candidates from 41 political parties are contesting for 126 seats. In Kerala, 890 candidates are in the fray, with 27.1 crore voters eligible to choose their representatives. In Puducherry, 294 candidates from 20 parties are contesting the elections. Authorities have made necessary security and administrative arrangements, and polling is proceeding under close supervision to ensure a peaceful and orderly election process.