With campaigning drawing to a close on Tuesday, Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry are in the final stages of preparation for single-phase Assembly elections scheduled for April 9. Polling will be held across 296 constituencies, 126 in Assam, 140 in Kerala and 30 in Puducherry, with results expected on May 4. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has declared the polls fully ready, emphasising robust security and voter facilitation measures.
Approximately 5.35 crore voters will cast their ballots tomorrow (April 9, 2026) across the single-phase Assembly elections plus bye-polls in five constituencies in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura.
Clean electoral rolls after SIR
According to the final electoral rolls published after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Assam has 2,50,21,408 electors (approx. 2.50 crore), including roughly 1.25 crore men and 1.25 crore women with a small number of third-gender voters. Kerala’s electorate stands at 2,71,06,059 (approx. 2.71 crore), where women outnumber men significantly (about 1.38 crore women against 1.31 crore men). Puducherry has 9,44,539 voters across its 30 seats, with women forming a clear majority at over 5 lakh. Collectively, more than 3 crore electors in these three regions will decide the fate of around 1,906 candidates who remained in the fray after withdrawals, 722 in Assam, 890 in Kerala and 294 in Puducherry.
For a broader perspective on the ongoing poll cycle, Tamil Nadu (polling on April 23 across 234 seats) has 5,67,74,436 electors (approx. 5.67 crore) after substantial deletions during the SIR, with women again outnumbering men. West Bengal (polling in phases from April 23-29 across 294 seats) has approximately 6,45,61,152 voters (approx. 6.45 crore) following extensive revisions and deletions. Together with Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, the five poll-bound regions account for roughly 17.4 crore voters deciding 824 Assembly seats.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has repeatedly described “pure” electoral rolls as the bedrock of democracy. Along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, he conducted extensive reviews, deploying over 1,111 observers across the poll-bound areas. Special arrangements include home voting for over 2.37 lakh elderly and differently-abled electors in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry. The ECI has enforced a ban on exit and opinion polls and a 48-hour silence period.
Also read: 2.5 crore voters, 722 candidates: Assam heads to polls Thursday
Bye-polls in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, and Tripura
Bye-polls will simultaneously be held in five Assembly constituencies across four other states. In Goa’s Ponda seat (statewide electorate approx. 10.75 lakh after SIR deletions of over 1.27 lakh names), Karnataka’s Bagalkot and Davanagere South (specific constituency rolls published with women outnumbering men), Nagaland’s Koridang (ST) with 22,390 electors, and Tripura’s Dharmanagar. A total of 49 candidates remain in the fray for these bye-polls, with results for all polls, including the three full Assembly elections, scheduled on May 4.
Massive security arrangements in place
Security remains a top priority. The Union Home Ministry has mobilised substantial Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) contingents. Assam has received around 200 companies of paramilitary forces, with more reinforcements expected to secure sensitive polling stations. Kerala has seen the arrival of an initial batch of 30 companies, while Puducherry’s compact geography is being covered under the broader regional deployment plan. Overall, thousands of CAPF personnel, along with central and micro-observers, will monitor polling stations, strong rooms and counting centres.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who addressed multiple rallies in Assam and Puducherry in recent days, welcomed the ECI’s preparedness. “The ECI has done an excellent job. Our forces are deployed to ensure every vote is cast without fear,” Shah said, while also touching on core campaign themes such as border security and development in the Northeast. State administrations have coordinated closely with the Centre to maintain law and order, with additional local police deployed at vulnerable booths.
Polling stations ready for smooth conduct
All polling stations are equipped with adequate EVMs, VVPATs, ramps and basic amenities, including drinking water. Voter education drives and last-minute training for polling personnel were completed across the three regions. Political alliances, the NDA in Assam and Puducherry, the LDF versus UDF in Kerala, remain locked in competitive battles, yet the administrative focus on polling eve is on smooth and transparent conduct.
As voters prepare to cast ballots on Thursday, the ECI’s message remains clear: every eligible citizen will have the opportunity to participate in a secure, inducement-free electoral process. These polls, though distinct in scale and issues, will offer early indicators for the larger 2026 Assembly election cycle that includes Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
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