Kerala and Assam Vote Today — Polling Day Guide, Booth Timing, EVM Process, and What Happens Next
Story By -
Shaurya Thakur 2026-04-08 India Elections 2026, Politics 21
Today is April 9, 2026 — polling day for Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry. Millions of voters across all three regions will step out today to decide their next governments. In Assam, 2.49 crore voters cast ballots across 126 constituencies. In Kerala, 2.69 crore voters choose representatives for 140 seats. In Puducherry, 30 seats decide the UT's legislative assembly. Results are on May 4.
This is a complete guide for voters heading to their polling station today.
Polling Hours
Polling begins at 7:00 AM and continues until 6:00 PM across all three regions. Voters who are in the queue at 6:00 PM are allowed to vote — you will not be turned away if you arrive before closing time.
In some sensitive constituencies in Assam's Bodoland Territorial Region and parts of lower Assam near the Bangladesh border, polling may begin slightly earlier with enhanced security presence.
What to Carry
Every voter must carry a valid photo identity document. The most commonly accepted are:
- Voter ID Card (EPIC) — the primary document
- Aadhaar Card
- Driving Licence
- Passport
- PAN Card
- Service identity card issued by Government (with photo)
- Bank or Post Office passbook with photo
If your name is on the electoral roll but your Voter ID has a printing error or is damaged, you can still vote using any of the above alternatives. Your name must be on the voter list — check at voters.eci.gov.in or call the voter helpline 1950.
The EVM Voting Process — Step by Step
Many first-time voters and those unfamiliar with EVMs find the process simpler than expected. Here is exactly what happens:
Step 1: Reach your designated polling station. Your booth number is printed on your voter slip. If you do not have your slip, check online or ask an election volunteer at the booth.
Step 2: Queue up at the correct table (booths are divided by voter serial number). The polling officer checks your name on the voter list and verifies your identity.
Step 3: Your index finger is marked with indelible ink. This ink stays for 2-3 weeks and prevents double voting.
Step 4: You receive a ballot slip and are directed to the EVM booth — a private, curtained space.
Step 5: The EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) shows a list of candidates with their names, party symbols, and serial numbers. Press the button next to your chosen candidate.
Step 6: A beep confirms your vote is registered. A paper slip is printed inside the VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) machine — a small transparent window shows your vote for 7 seconds before the slip drops into a sealed compartment. This is your verification that your vote was recorded correctly.
Step 7: Exit the booth. The entire process takes under two minutes per voter.
Key Contests Today
In Assam: The biggest seat nationally is Jalukbari — Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma contests here for the sixth time, facing Congress's Bidisha Neog. Jorhat is the second headline contest — Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi faces BJP's Hitendra Nath Goswami in what analysts are calling the most important constituency for the opposition's narrative. The Dhubri belt in lower Assam will test whether minority votes consolidate with AIUDF or remain split between Congress and Raijor Dal.
In Kerala: Dharmadam is the seat to watch — Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan contests here seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term. In Peravoor, K.K. Shailaja Teacher faces KPCC president Sunny Joseph in a high-profile clash. In Nemom, BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar makes his strongest bid for a seat that gave the party its only-ever Kerala assembly win in 2016.
In Puducherry: The NDA alliance under CM N.R. Rangaswamy faces the Congress-DMK INDIA bloc across all 30 seats.
Security Arrangements
The Election Commission has deployed central forces across sensitive constituencies. In Assam particularly, the Bodoland Territorial Region and constituencies along the Brahmaputra valley with a history of political violence are under enhanced paramilitary presence. Kerala's coastal constituencies and Malabar region have additional deployment. Drone surveillance is active across all three regions.
Voters are advised to ignore any polling agent or party worker who attempts to influence them inside the 100-metre exclusion zone around polling booths — this is illegal. Report any violation to the presiding officer immediately or call 1950.
What Happens After Voting
Votes are stored securely in the EVMs, which are sealed and taken to counting centres. EVMs remain in the custody of the Election Commission until May 4, when counting begins at 8:00 AM.
Results will be declared on May 4 alongside Tamil Nadu (first phase) and West Bengal (first phase). New governments must be sworn in before May 20 (Assam) and May 23 (Kerala) when the current assemblies expire.
For complete pre-voting analysis of both states, visit Nextgen Gpost for our full election coverage.
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