In the first Assembly election after the SIR exercise, Kerala witnessed a high voter turnout on Thursday, underscoring the likelihood of a tightly contested verdict in which every vote could prove decisive. The turnout touched 78.01 per cent at 8 pm (76 per cent recorded in 2021).
A striking feature of the day was the robust participation of urban voters. Cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode witnessed a surge, with even satellite towns reflecting similar enthusiasm. Rural areas largely mirrored this trend, with long queues forming early and persisting through much of the day.
In Thiruvananthapuram, key constituencies of Nemom, Kazhakkoottam and Vattiyoorkavu had, by noon, recorded nearly half the total turnout seen in 2021, a telling indication of a marked shift in urban voting patterns, though its electoral implications remain uncertain.
Women and elderly voters began arriving at polling stations from 7 a.m. After a brief lull between 1 pm and 3 pm, queues were once again seen across several booths, pointing to brisk polling. Sporadic malfunctioning of voting machines caused delays in some locations, with reports of voters, including women with infants, waiting for up to six hours.
In contrast, in Thrikkakara constituency, an octogenarian voter recounted how she used the midday lull to walk to the St George Primary School polling station in Edappally, a 10-minute walk, only to find a solitary voter ahead of her. “We were back home in no time,” she said.
Younger voters, particularly Gen Z, were less visible in the early hours, but turned up in increasing numbers as the day progressed. Some were drawn by the State Election Commission’s incentives, including complimentary halwa and free rides. Akhil, an autorickshaw driver, said he ferried several voters to polling stations through the day.
The State Election Commission had set an ambitious turnout target of 85 per cent this time, a mark crossed only once in 1960. Speaking at noon, Chief Electoral Officer Rethan Khelkar said polling could even approach 90 per cent, attributing the surge in part to the SIR exercise, which he said had “cleaned” the rolls, albeit reducing their size.
Some voters in Thiruvananthapuram acknowledged that the SIR may have spurred participation. “It has brought in ‘real voters with a face’,” one said, pointing to instances of overseas voters returning to cast their ballots. Jessy, who flew in from the US, said she was motivated by a social media campaign urging expatriates to vote, or lose citizenship.
Even as polling peaked, the State’s three principal political fronts struck confident notes. The ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front expressed optimism about securing a record third consecutive term. The Opposition United Democratic Front projected a sweeping comeback, claiming it would cross the 100-seat mark in the 140-member Assembly.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, meanwhile, maintained that neither of the traditional fronts would secure the halfway mark of 71 seats, and sought to position itself instead as a potential kingmaker in the formation of the next government.
Voting was particularly brisk in Kannur district, for long a CPI(M) bastion, but now marked by significant internal dissidence. The keen contest was also accompanied by reports of alleged bogus/ illegal voting, underscoring the intensity of a no-holds-barred battle.
Published on April 9, 2026