Election 2026 Live Updates: Voting in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal is scheduled to take place on April 23-29.
Election 2026 Live Updates: The 2026 Assembly elections are unfolding across five major regions, with polling dates strategically split between April 9, April 23 and April 29. While voters in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry have already cast their votes as of April 9, the political spotlight is now shifting towards Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which are scheduled to begin polling phases later this month. The multi-state democratic exercise will culminate on May 4, when the vote count will determine the future leadership of the five legislatures.
The first phase ends with a record turnout, and the focus shifts to Bengal and Tamil Nadu
The first major wave of the 2026 election cycle has concluded, marked by exceptional voter participation and high-stakes regional battles. With the dust settling from the first stage, the political mechanism is now moving towards the upcoming confrontations in the eastern and southern regions.
Summary of the first stage: registration of participation
On April 9, voters in the states of Kerala, Assam and Puducherry turned out in huge numbers to decide the fate of their electoral assemblies. The Election Commission noted an important trend: female voters outperformed male voters in both Assam and Kerala.
- Assam State: A historic turnout of 85.38% was recorded for 126 seats. The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term against a diverse Congress-led coalition.
- Kerala: It saw 78.03% participation. The ruling Liberal Democratic Front (LDF) party here is fighting to retain power against the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the NDA.
- Puducherry: The Union Territory broke previous records with an astonishing 89.83% turnout in its 30-member council.
The road ahead: West Bengal and Tamil Nadu
With the first phase in the books, all eyes are now on April 23-29.
in West BengalThe fight for membership in the 294-member assembly is intensifying, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee exchanging barbs. The first phase vote (for 152 seats) is scheduled to take place on April 23, and the second phase (for 142 seats) on April 29.
in Tamil NaduPolling for all 234 seats will be held in a single phase on April 23. Breaking away from the traditional DMK-led contest against the AIADMK-led NDA, the entry of actor Vijay and his TVK party adds a wildcard element that could disrupt the traditional vote banks.
The fate of the five regions will be revealed on May 4, during the simultaneous counting of votes.
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April 12, 2026 at 12:57:47 pm
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Election 2026 Live Updates: ‘Tamil Nadu vs Delhi’ battle as DMK dismisses TVK as BJP’s ‘B-Team’
2026 Elections Live Updates: With the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections approaching in less than two weeks, political rhetoric is reaching a fever pitch. DMK’s Anna Nagar candidate N Chittarasu has framed the upcoming vote on April 23 as a direct showdown between state interests and the central government, asserting that the contest is essentially “Tamil Nadu versus Delhi”. While campaigning in Chennai, Chittarasu dismissed the existence of any effective local opposition and lashed out at actor-turned-politician Vijay’s new party, TVK, calling it a mere “B-team” of the BJP that would fail to influence the final result.
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2026 Election Live Updates: Welcome to this live blog
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