Assembly Elections 2026 | Kerala records higher voter turnout; LDF, UDF confident of sweeping victory, BJP predicts hung assembly

Thiruvananthapuram: Reflecting the intense electoral battle in Kerala, the voter turnout in the state assembly polls went up to 77.93 percent (by 8 pm), compared to 76 percent in 2021 assembly polls.

Women participation was more in the elections. While the male voter turnout was 75.01, female turnout was 80.86 percent and third gender 57.04 percent.

Since scores of voters were waiting in queues till late in the evening, the total turnout may cross 80 percent, even as the Election commission was anticipating an all time high of 90 percent as a result of the special intensive revision (SIR).

The highest voter turnout in assembly elections in Kerala was 80.54 percent in 1987 and 85.7 percent in 1960.

All the 140 seats in Kerala went to the polls on Thursday. The voter turnout was comparatively higher in north and central Kerala districts.

Multiple factors like anti-incumbency against the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by Pinarayi Vijayan, minority consolidation and the strong triangular fight in many constituencies with the BJP making all out efforts to mark their presence in the state assembly could be the reasons for the higher voter turnout.

The acute summer in the state also seems to be a factor for the brisk polling right from the morning hours across the state.

Kerala Chief electoral officer Rathan U Kelkar said that the elimination of many deceased and duplicate voters in SIR resulted in a higher voter turnout. As the voter turnout crossed 50 percent by noon, the election commission anticipated that it may cross 90 percent.

BJP predicts hung assembly

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed hopes that the LDF would retain power for a third term in a row by further improving the number of seats from 99 in 2021.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan reiterated that the UDF would return to power by winning over 100 seats.

Predicting a hung assembly, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the NDA would become a decisive force as the LDF and UDF would fail to attain majority.

As per the data available from the election commission at 8 pm, Kozhikode district in north Kerala was leading with 80.32 percent voter turnout. Other north Kerala districts of Malappuram had voter turnout of 78.79 percent, Kannur 77.79 percent and Kasaragod 77.53 percent.

The number of voters in Malappuram, Kannur and Kasargod districts had gone up after the SIR, while in all other 11 districts the numbers had come down.

In central Kerala, the voting percentage was higher at Palakkad district with 80.21 percent, followed by 79.42 percent in Kochi.

Pathanamthitta district had the lowest voter turnout of 70.61 percent, followed by Kottayam 74.42 percent. The high number of NRIs from the locality could be one reason.

Voter turnout in Thiruvananthapuram, where a strong triangular contest was happening in at least three seats, was 76.89 percent.

Nemom, from where Rajeev Chandrasekhar is seeking a mandate, recorded 80.59 percent voter turnout. Many other seats like Palakkad and Majeshwar where the BJP is pinning high hopes also witnessed higher voter turnout.

Except for isolated incidents of minor tensions, the elections went off peacefully.