Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Surabhi Lakshmi cast votes as turnout rises in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
April 9, 2026: Polling gathered pace across several regions on Thursday, with prominent figures stepping out to vote. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar cast his vote in Kerala and urged citizens to actively participate in the democratic process. Actor Surabhi Lakshmi also exercised her franchise at a polling booth in Kozhikode during the Assembly elections.
As per early trends, Assam recorded a voter turnout of 59.63 per cent by 1 pm, indicating strong participation. In Kerala, the turnout stood at 49.70 per cent during the same period, reflecting a steady flow of voters across constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Union Territory of Puducherry reported a turnout of 56.83 per cent, showing encouraging engagement among voters. With polling continuing through the day, officials expect the final turnout figures to rise further across all regions.