Kumar Bahukhandi
People wait in line to cast their votes at Pongavanam Govt. Primary School in Puducherry, on April 9, 2026 | Photo Credit: ANI
Voters queued up early morning outside polling booths across the two States and Union Territory
Kicking off the Assembly election season, Keralam, Assam, and Puducherry have gone to the polls on Thursday (April 9, 2026) in a single phase. Voting began at 7 a.m. and goes on until to 5 p.m. The results will be declared on May 4.
The high-stakes elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly commence with the BJP eyeing a third straight term in power. The Keralam polls across 140 Assembly constituencies feature contests between three fronts: the CPI(M)-led LDF, the Congress-led UDF and the BJP-led NDA
Voting is taking place for 30 seats in Puducherry. The Union Territory is currently governed by a coalition led by the All India N. R. Congress (AINRC), with Chief Minister N. Rangasamy at the helm and BJP backing.
Further, the bypolls to several Assembly constituencies across Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura are also being held on Thursday April 9, 2026.
The Bombay High Court declared the poll body’s notification for Ponda by-election in Goa as invalid, cancelling the April 9 poll.
Key Updates
April 09, 2026 10:50
Rohit Pawar urges Congress to withdraw candidate for Sunetra Pawar’s unopposed win in Baramati
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday April 9, 2026 met Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal, urging the party to withdraw its candidate from the Baramati bypoll to facilitate the unopposed election of his aunt, NCP president Sunetra Pawar.
A day earlier, Sunetra Pawar had spoken to Sapkal to request him to ensure that his party’s candidate withdraws his nomination against her in the April 23 bypoll, according to sources.
The Congress had said that it would withdraw from the contest only if an FIR was registered in deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash in January, which necessitated the Baramati bye election.
-PTI
April 09, 2026 10:42
Puducherry records 17.41% voter turnout till 9 a.m.
Puducherry registered 17.41% voter turnout by 9 a.m. on Thursday as polling commenced in all 30 assembly constituencies.
Voting began at 7 a.m. in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions with as many as 9.50 lakh voters deciding the fate of 294 contestants.
-PTI
April 09, 2026 10:24
Tripura: Dharmanagar Assembly bypoll sees 15.63% voter turnout in first two hours
Over 15% of the total electorate turned out to vote in the byelection to Tripura’s Dharmanagar Assembly constituency in the first two hours of polling on Thursday.
-PTI
April 09, 2026 10:23
Keralam: Over 16 per cent voter turnout recorded till 9 am
Polling in the Kerala Assembly elections saw a turnout of over 16% after the first two hours of voting on Thursday.
According to Election Commission (EC) figures, polling till 9 a.m. recorded a turnout of 16.23% with the highest being in Ernakulam district with 17.8%.
Constituency-wise, the highest polling percentage till 9 am was seen in Thripunithura with 20.59%, according to EC data.
-PTI
April 09, 2026 09:53
Keralam: V. D. Satheesan confident of UDF win, predicts 100+ seats in polls
Keralam’s Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan said the United Democratic Front (UDF) will come to power in the State with a majority of over 100 seats.
The mood of the electorate is in favour of the UDF this time, he said after casting his vote at the Kesari Balakrishnapillai Memorial Govt. College in North Paravur.
April 09, 2026 09:33
Tamil Nadu: Campaigning turns intense as leaders step up bid to woo voters
With mercury levels rising in Chennai, the heat of the political campaigns has also intensified
Campaigning turns intense as leaders step up bid to woo voters
Political campaigns heat up in Chennai as leaders address local issues and rally support ahead of elections.
April 09, 2026 09:32
Karnataka bypolls: Voting underway in Bagalkot and Davanagere South constituencies
Voting was underway for bypolls to two Assembly segments— Bagalkot and Davanagere South in Karnataka on Thursday April 9, 2026.
The polls were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H.Y. Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
Karnataka bypolls: Voting underway in Bagalkot and Davanagere South constituencies
Voting is underway in Karnataka’s bypolls for Bagalkot and Davanagere South, following the deaths of senior Congress MLAs.
April 09, 2026 09:17
Two plus one: Editorial on the April 9 Assembly elections
In Keralam, the incumbent LDF led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is seeking a third consecutive term. No alliance has achieved such a feat in the State, but the LDF mounted an audacious campaign premised on a claim that ‘there is no alternative’ to the LDF.
In Assam, the campaign has been dominated by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is seeking a second term and a third for the BJP-led NDA. He has formulated a strident version of anti-Muslim rhetoric, Hindutva, and indigenous identity politics and welfare schemes.
In Puducherry, an NDA government led by All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) leader N. Rangasamy has been in power since 2021.
April 09, 2026 09:03
Keralam: Pinarayi Vijayan says confident of ‘bigger’ LDF win
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday expressed confidence of a bigger victory for the Left Democratic Front after casting his vote at RC Amla-based UP School in Pinarayi, describing the Assembly elections as crucial for the State’s future.
Kerala Assembly elections: Pinarayi Vijayan says confident of ‘bigger’ LDF win
Pinarayi Vijayan expresses confidence in a larger LDF victory, emphasizing Kerala’s development and public trust in the upcoming elections.
April 09, 2026 08:47
PM Modi appeals to people of Assam, Keralam, Puducherry to vote in large numbers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the people of Assam, Keralam and Puducherry to exercise their franchise in large numbers in the assembly elections in the two states and the Union Territory.
In separate messages in English, besides Assamese, Malayalam and Tamil — the regional languages of Assam, Keralam and Puducherry respectively — PM Modi particularly requested the youth and the women to step forward and vote in large numbers.
-PTI
April 09, 2026 08:32
Analysis: BJP, the known unknown in Kerala 2026
If the voting gets polarised on the singular question of whether to give Pinarayi Vijayan a third consecutive term, the saffron party could be marginalised
Read the analysis by Varghese K. George here:
BJP, the known unknown in Keralam 2026
Explore the BJP’s evolving role in Keralam’s 2026 elections as traditional parties redefine their strategies amid shifting voter dynamics.
April 09, 2026 08:31
Nagaland: Voting for Koridang Assembly bypoll begins amid tight security
Polling for the Koridang Assembly bypoll in Nagaland commenced on Thursday (April 9, 2026) amid heightened security, following a recent election-related violence that has claimed one life.
Six candidates are in the fray for the Assembly bypoll necessitated by the death of sitting BJP MLA Imkong L. Imchen (75) on November 11 last year.
April 09, 2026 07:52
K’taka bypolls: Voting underway in two assembly segments
Voting was underway for bypolls to two Assembly segments–Bagalkot and Davanagere South in Karnataka on Thursday.
The polls were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
Although the outcome of these by-elections is unlikely to have an immediate impact on state politics, the contest is seen as a matter of prestige for both the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP.
While the Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP is aiming to wrest them and deliver a setback to the ruling party, which is currently witnessing an “internal power struggle” over leadership.
-PTI
April 09, 2026 07:25
Tripura bypoll: Voting begins for Dharmanagar Assembly seat
Voting for the byelection to Dharmanagar Assembly constituency in North Tripura district began at 7 a.m. on Thursday amidst tight security, an official said.
A total of 46,142 voters will decide the fate of six candidates in the bypoll.
-PTI
April 09, 2026 07:24
Assam Assembly polls: Over 2.51 crore voters expected to cast ballot
More than 2.51 crore voters in Assam are expected to choose between two alliances, one led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the other by the Congress, in the Assembly elections on Thursday (April 9, 2026).
Stage set for Assam Assembly polls; over 2.51 crore voters expected to choose between two alliances
Assam Assembly polls feature over 2.51 crore voters deciding between Congress-led and BJP-led alliances on April 9, 2026.
April 09, 2026 07:16
Voting begins in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry; results on May 4
Polling began for high-stakes electoral battles in two states, Assam and Kerala, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry, on Thursday at 7 a.m.
Voters queued outside polling stations to cast their votes in a single-phase assembly election.
Voting will be held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala and 30 in Puducherry in this phase of the election. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, and West Bengal on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
-ANI
April 09, 2026 06:52
Bombay HC quashes ECI notification for Goa’s Ponda bypoll, day before polling
The Bombay High Court’s Goa Bench has set aside the Election Commission of India’s notification for the Ponda Assembly bye-election, leading to the cancellation of the polling scheduled for April 9. The court ruled that holding a bye-election is not required as the remaining term of the Goa Legislative Assembly is less than one year.
A Division Bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar allowed petitions filed by two voters, Pritam Harmalkar and Ankita Kamat, who challenged the validity of the by-election notification. The court declared the notification invalid and cancelled the April 9 poll.
April 09, 2026 06:43
Ensure that election duty officials get postal ballots on time: Kerala HC
The Kerala High Court has directed the Election Commission of India (EC) to ensure that personnel who are on duty for Thursday’s (April 9, 2026) Assembly polls, receive their postal ballots on time.
This follows a plea by the Kerala NGO Union, seeking to make available postal ballots and to extend the deadline for casting postal votes, to enable the personnel to exercise their franchise. It submitted that many such officials had not received their postal ballots, despite timely submission of applications.
April 09, 2026 06:43
Puducherry Assembly election 2026: Polling across 1,099 polling stations
Various squads deployed by the Election Department to enforce the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the Assembly polls have seized potential voter inducement worth around ₹8.4 crore during the campaign period in the Union Territory, Chief Electoral Officer P. Jawahar said on Wednesday April 8, 2026.
Briefing media on the preparations for the polling on Thursday April 9, he said the department was fully geared up to conduct the election after the strict enforcement of MCC. The polling will start at 7 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. in all 1,099 polling stations in the Union Territory.
April 09, 2026 06:39
Assam polls: Bid to woo new voters in CM Himanta’s long-time constituency Jalukbari
As Assam goes to polls today, Chief Minister Himanta Sarma is up against two other candidates in Jalukbari, Bidisha Neog of the Congress and Dipika Das of the Bhumi Adhikar Party, contesting as an Independent.
A win for Sarma is, however, well-nigh a foregone conclusion.
April 09, 2026 06:33
Keralam polls ignore a Gulf lifeline at risk
As Keralam heads to the polls on April 9, 2026 a glaring paradox looms over the State. This is a land defined by migration. For generations, lakhs of Keralite families have built their homes, hopes, and futures on the salaries earned by sons, husbands, brothers, and fathers in the Gulf. The remittance economy is not a side story in Kerala’s development; it is the story.
April 09, 2026 06:12
Foreign delegates to witness Assembly polls
As many as 43 delegates from 23 countries, including representatives from five foreign missions, will be visiting Assam, Keralam and Puducherry to witness the Assembly elections up close.
The delegates are part of the International Election Visitors’ Programme-2026, the Election Commission said. On Tuesday (April 7, 2026), the delegates were given a demonstration of the EVM at the poll panel’s training arm, India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM). They took part in the mock poll using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to get a hands-on experience of the voting process.
In the first phase, the delegates of the programme will visit Assam, Keralam and Puducherry on April 8-9.
PTI
April 09, 2026 06:12
Assembly Elections 2026: Assam, Keralam and Puducherry go to polls
Public campaigning for the April 9 Assembly elections in Keralam, Assam and Puducherry concluded on Tuesday and voting will take place in a single phase across all three regions — 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Keralam, and 30 in Puducherry.
Know the documents required for voting
Assembly Elections 2026: What are the documents required for voting
Find out the essential documents needed for voting in the 2026 Assembly Elections across Assam, Keralam, Puducherry, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
(With Inputs from PTI and ANI )
