Kerala Elections: Voter Turnout Surpasses 75% as Polling Continues
High Voter Engagement in Kerala Assembly Elections
Thiruvananthapuram: By 5 PM on Thursday, Kerala's voter turnout exceeded 75% as residents participated in the elections across 140 assembly constituencies.
These pivotal elections will determine if the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) secures a third consecutive term, if the United Democratic Front (UDF) makes a comeback, or if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) surprises everyone in this typically two-party contest.
As per the Election Commission's data, 75.01% of the 2.71 crore registered voters had cast their ballots by 5 PM.
In the previous 2021 Kerala Assembly elections, the turnout was recorded at 74.06%, while the highest turnout in the state's history was 80.5% during the 1987 elections.
The LDF is striving to maintain its hold on power, relying on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's governance model and welfare initiatives.
Conversely, the Congress-led UDF is aiming to reclaim power after a decade of Left rule. Meanwhile, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) seeks to challenge the traditional dominance of the LDF and UDF, hoping to convert its increasing vote share into a significant presence in the assembly.
Polling activity appeared to slow down slightly in the afternoon compared to the earlier hours, where turnout surged by approximately 16% every two hours.
The turnout was recorded at 16.23% at 9 AM, rising to 33.28% by 11 AM and reaching 49.70% by 1 PM, according to the Election Commission.
By 3 PM, the turnout was at 62.71%, which climbed to 75.01% by 5 PM, reflecting an increase of about 13%.
Kozhikode district reported the highest polling percentage at 77.63%, pushing Ernakulam to second place with 77.25% by 5 PM.
In terms of constituencies, Kunnathunad led with an impressive 81.99% turnout, while Kaduthuruthy recorded the lowest at 66.81% (all data as of 5 PM).
Earlier, Kerala's Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar expressed optimism that the turnout could reach 90%.
Polling began at 7 AM across all 140 Assembly constituencies.
Notable figures who voted in the morning included CM Vijayan, Congress leader V D Satheesan, Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi, KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, and actor Mohanlal.