Polling has started for the assembly elections in Assam, Keralam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Election officials have noted that voting began at 7 am on Thursday, with arrangements in place to ensure smooth and fair voting across the regions.

Voter Statistics in Keralam

In Keralam, there are over 2.6 crore registered voters who will decide among 883 candidates contesting in 140 constituencies. The registered voter base comprises 1,38,27,319 women and 1,31,26,048 men, with an additional 277 voters listed under the ‘third gender’ category. Youth voters aged between 18 to 19 years total 4,24,518, while there are 2,04,608 voters aged 85 years and above.

A total of 30,471 polling stations have been established, including logistic centres for voter machines and vote counting. Keralam’s Chief Electoral Officer, Rathan U Kelkar, confirmed that 1.46 lakh trained personnel have been assigned to manage the polling stations efficiently.

Electoral Landscape in Assam

In Assam, the electoral landscape has seen more than 2.5 crore eligible voters participating in the election for the 126-member legislative assembly. A total of 722 candidates are vying for these seats. The registered voter demographics include 1,25,31,552 male voters, 1,25,22,593 female voters, 318 voters belonging to the transgender category, and 63,423 service voters.

Among the electorate, 6,42,314 voters are in the 18-19 age bracket, while 2,50,006 voters are over the age of 80. To enhance transparency, webcasting facilities have been set up in all 31,490 designated polling stations, which include both main and auxiliary stations. Over 1,51,132 polling personnel have been mobilised to facilitate the election process.

The Congress party has formed a six-party alliance to challenge the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which is seeking its third consecutive term in power. The electoral contest is particularly notable as the BJP has been incrementally increasing its vote share in recent elections.

Voter Arrangements and Security in Puducherry

Puducherry has 10,14,070 electors eligible to vote for a 30-member Legislative Assembly. Voter demographics show 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 individuals in the third gender category. Voters aged between 18 to 19 years total 24,156, alongside 6,034 senior citizens aged 85 and above.

Puducherry’s Chief Electoral Officer, P Jawahar, indicated that 110 sector officers have been assigned to oversee activities across 1,099 polling stations, with 209 stations identified as vulnerable, necessitating additional security measures. The enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct has led to the deployment of flying squads to monitor compliance.

With a strict focus on security, arrangements to track election-related violations include the use of drones and live monitoring of various polling stations. These efforts aim to ensure a fair electoral process meets the governance standards expected during this critical period, as the current term of the Legislative Assembly is set to end on June 15.

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