Assembly polls in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on Thursday showed record voter turnout, which Election Commission officials said was a “verification” of the particularly intensive revision and special revision of electoral rolls and a sign of people’s “unwavering trust in the electoral process”. The surge in opinion polls surpassed previous peaks – with support reaching an all-time high in Puducherry, 91.2% in Assam, 85.8% in Assam, and 78.2% in Kerala, the state’s highest level since 1987. Officials said the final number could rise after combined reporting. Puducherry’s vote share surpassed the record high of 86.2% set in 2011, while Assam broke the record of 84.7% set in 2016 when the BJP formed its first government, ousting the Congress after three consecutive terms. Voter turnout in Assam reached its highest level since the first election in 1951. Chief Election Commissioner Janesh Kumar said the polls were “a historical witness not just for India but for the entire democratic world” and congratulated voters in Assam and Puducherry. Repeating the success story of the November 2025 Bihar polls, which recorded the highest ever turnout in the state, an EC official said on Thursday. Eliminating deceased, rotating, absentee and repeat voters reduced the total number of votes cast and increased turnout, the official said. Another said door-to-door census could increase voter awareness and increase participation. “This increases enthusiasm by making voters aware of their right to vote,” he said. “Despite questions raised by the opposition parties, voters… have complete confidence in the SIR,” another Election Commission official said, adding that the exercise verified the accuracy and conduct of the elections. Kerala saw a decrease of about 900,000 voters (3.2%), Puducherry saw a decrease of 7.6% or 77,367 voters, and Assam saw a net loss of about 240,000 voters, almost 1% of its conscripted electorate.
Assam’s Muslim-majority seats surge
Across Assam, the surge in participation has been uneven. Muslim-majority constituencies led the way in turnout, with Dalgaon in Dalang district recording 94.5% turnout and 15 similar constituencies recording over 90% turnout. The share in Hindu-majority districts in Upper Assam is about 82%, below the state average and slightly lower than in 2021. The Bodo region has an average of 85%, the Barak Valley 82.9%, while the Karbi Anglong and Dimahasso hills have the lowest proportions at 74.2%. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed the engagement “not ordinary but historic” and proposed a comprehensive mandate. “I think we will get more than 90 seats (in the 126-member parliament). Even if we get to 100, there will be nothing surprising,” he said. Assam’s single-phase elections saw sporadic clashes in several constituencies, leaving around 30 people injured and seven arrested. In Kerala, despite hot weather, voters turned out to vote, with support exceeding 80% in several districts. The line continued after the official closing time. Prominent politicians, including CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress MP VD Satheesan and BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar voted early. Film celebrities like Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suraj Venjaramodu and Asif Ali also participated in the voting. In Thiruvananthapuram, first-time voters received halwa boxes and thank you cards as part of the outreach effort.
