High turnout in Kerala: Polling extends past deadline as crowds linger

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has witnessed an enthusiastic voter turnout in the current assembly elections, with citizens flocking to the state's 30,495 polling booths across 140 constituencies. Although the official polling window has closed, voting continues at various locations for those who were already in line; officials ensured that everyone remaining in the queue by 6:00 PM received tokens to cast their ballots. By 5:00 PM, the state had already recorded a polling percentage of 75.01%, a figure expected to rise significantly as the final voters from a thousand remaining booths finish the process.

The distribution of participation shows Ernakulam district leading with the highest turnout, while Kasaragod and Pathanamthitta recorded the lowest. With a total of 2.71 crore voters on the electoral roll, there is anticipation regarding whether this year’s final tally will surpass the 74.06% recorded in 2021 or even approach the historic 80.5% high seen in 1987. Now that the machines are being sealed, Kerala begins a 25-day wait for the verdict, as the counting of votes and the official declaration of results will not take place until May 4.