Puducherry Assembly Election 2026 Highlights: Polling Concludes On 30 Seats, Voter Turnout Hits 89.56% Surpassing 2021

Puducherry Assembly Election 2026 Voting Live Updated: The polling concluded on all 30 seats in Puducherry, with final voter turnout recorded at 89.56 per cent. This is significanlt higher than 2021 polls, when the turnout was over 82 per cent.  

Puducherry Assembly Polls Live Voting Updates: Puducherry has recorded a voter turnout of 86.92 per cent till 5 PM. It is higher than the turnout of the last assembly elections in 2021.  

Puducherry Assembly Elections 2026: Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi Founder And Candidate from Kamaraj Nagar Constituency, Jose Charles Martin, along with his wife, cast a vote at a polling station in Reddiarpalayam

After exercising his right to vote, Martin said, 'Casting our vote is both our duty and a matter of honour. I have fulfilled my duty and went to cast my vote along with my wife... Many people are turning out to vote, demonstrating their love and support for their respective candidates. As Indians, we must showcase our unity and strength in this democracy... The NDA will certainly come to power in Puducherry; we have set a target of 25 seats, and we are fully confident that we will achieve it...'

Puducherry Assembly Polls 2026: State Congress President & candidate from Thattanchavady Assembly Constituency V Vaithilingam, cast his vote in the ongoing assembly elections. After voting, he said, 'Today’s polling has been favourable, particularly for Congress. The DMK alliance is also performing well. We are confident that we will form the government on 4 May.'

Puducherry Assembly Elections 2026: The highest voting percentage has been recorded in the Thirubhuvanai assembly constituency, where 77.76 per cent of voters exercised their franchise.

Puducherry Assembly Election 2026: 72.40 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Puducherry till 3 PM. Thirubhuvanai recorded the highest turnout of 77.76 per cent.

Home Minister of Puducherry and BJP candidate from the Mannadipet Assembly constituency, A. Namassivayam says, "The visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP National President J.P. Nadda have created a massive wave of change across Puducherry. Voters are casting their ballots with great enthusiasm, which strengthens the party's confidence... NDA alliance will return to power in Puducherry, and there is no doubt about a repeat mandate..."

Voting is underway in Puducherry for its 30-member Assembly, with the NDA and DMK-Congress alliance in a close contest. Key factors include 9.44 lakh voters, the 16-seat majority mark, and all 30 seats in play, making every constituency crucial in deciding the next government. Read more here.

The 30-seat Puducherry Assembly is witnessing a close contest between the ruling NDA, led by the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) and BJP, and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK )is also in the fray, making it a three-cornered battle.

1. Mannadipet

2. Thirubhuvanai (SC)

3. Ossudu (SC)

4. Mangalam

5. Villianur

6. Ozhukarai

7. Kadirgamam

8. Indira Nagar

9. Thattanchavady

10. Kamaraj Nagar

11. Lawspet

12. Kalapet

13. Muthialpet

14. Raj Bhavan

15. Oupalam

16. Orleampeth

17. Nellithope

18. Mudaliarpet

19. Ariankuppam

20. Manavely

21. Embalam (SC)

22. Nettapakkam (SC)

23. Bahour

24. Nedungadu (SC)

25. Thirunallar

26. Karaikal North

27. Karaikal South

28. Neravy TR Pattinam

29. Mahe

30. Yanam

A party or alliance needs just 16 seats to form the government in Puducherry’s 30-seat Assembly. This low mark makes the election highly competitive, a swing of just three or four seats can prove decisive.

As voting is underway in Puducherry, the voter turnout as per the ECI stands at 37.6 per cent as of 11 am. Puducherry has a total of 10,14,070 eligible voters, including 5,39,125 women, 4,74,788 men, and 157 third-gender voters. Among them, 24,156 are first-time voters aged 18-19, while 6,034 are aged above 85.

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan cast his vote in the Assembly elections at the DMS office polling station.

Voting for the Puducherry Assembly elections got underway on Thursday with both the BJP and the Congress expressing strong confidence in forming the next government in the Union Territory. BJP state President V.P. Ramalingame voiced optimism about the NDA's prospects. Ramalingame said, "Today is a very good day. Everything is going very well. NDA is going to form the government.

On the other hand, the Congress also projected confidence in its chances, asserting that the electorate is looking for a shift in governance. Congress leader and former Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy said, "I exercise my democratic right by going to the booth and standing in the queue to vote. It is the duty of every citizen of India to go and cast their vote. In Puducherry, the situation is very favourable for the INDIA bloc."

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday urged voters to exercise their constitutional voting right as voting across 296 seats in Keralam, Assam and Puducherry commenced earlier in the day.

In an 'X' post, Kharge pointed out the rising unemployment, financial distress, and growing uncertainty within Keralam under the Left Democratic Front (LDF) regime, while highlighting the responsibility of its people to showcase the nation what "progressive thinking truly means."

Puducherry CM and All India NR Congress (AINRC) candidate from Mangalam and Thattanchavady assembly constituency, N. Rangaswamy, has expressed confidence in winning the 2026 polls. He said, 'In both the constituencies, I will win.' More than numbers, forming the government is important to me..."

In Puducherry, the contest involves the ruling NDA, which includes the All India NR Congress, the BJP and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) includes the All India N R Congress (AINRC) led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, the BJP contesting 10 seats, and both the AIADMK and LJK, each contesting two seats.

The INDIA bloc includes Congress, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, and the DMK, contesting 14 seats. VCK, which is part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, has decided to contest on three assembly seats in Puducherry independently after being offered only one.

Chief Minister and All India NR Congress (AINRC) candidate from the Mangalam and Thattanchavady assembly constituencies N. Rangaswamy cast his vote and then left on his bike. Voting is underway in Puducherry, with a voter turnout of 17.14 per cent till 9 am.

The BJP's Puducherry president, V P Ramalingam has cast his vote. He also urged youth to perform their democratic duty and come out in numbers to participate in elections.

The coastal region, once known as Pondicherry, was under French rule for nearly 138 years. Even after India gained independence in 1947, Pondicherry, along with other French enclaves such as Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam, remained under French control.

The shift towards Indian control began on 1st November 1954, when administrative authority was transferred to India. However, it was only on 16th August 1962 that the French Parliament officially ratified the treaty, formally integrating Pondicherry into India.

Former Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy voted in the assembly elections and expressed confidence in the INDIA alliance winning. He urged people to come out and exercise their democratic right.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition, has urged voters in Puducherry to vote for the Congress party, promising statehood and development.

Former Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy cast his vote at VOC Govt School polling station. The Congress leader exercised his franchise in the ongoing Puducherry election.

You can easily download your e-EPIC through the National Voter Service Portal (NVSP) or the Voter Helpline app. Here’s how:

- Register or log in on the portal or app

- Navigate to the ‘Download e-EPIC’ section

- Enter your EPIC number (a 10-digit alphanumeric ID) or reference number

To prevent misuse, an OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number for verification. Once verified, you can download a PDF version of your voter ID.

The NDA alliance secured several important seats across Puducherry:

• Ariankuppam - Datchanamourtt (NRC)
• Embalam - U Lakshmikandhan (NRC)
• Indira Nagar - V Aroumougame (NRC)
• Kadirgamam - S Ramesh (NRC)
• Karaikal - PRN Thirumurugan (NRC)
• Mangalam - Djeacoumar C (NRC)
• Nedungadu - Chandirapriyanga (NRC)
• Nettapakkam - P Rajavelu (NRC)
• Raj Bhavan - K Lakshminarayanan (NRC)
• Thattanchavady - N Rangaswamy (NRC)
  
  

BJP candidates also won key constituencies:

• Kalapet - M L Kalyanasundaram (BJP)
• Kamaraj Nagar - A Johnkumar (BJP)
• Manavely - R Selvam (BJP)
• Mannadipet - A Namassivayam (BJP)
• Nellithope - J Vivilian Richards (BJP)
• Oussudu - AK Sai J Saravanan Kumar (BJP)

Voting is underway in Puducherry across 30 seats. A robot named 'Nila' is seen welcoming voters at some polling booths, adding a touch of tech to the voting process.

On the financial status of the candidates, the report said 119 (41 per cent) nominees are crorepatis, compared to 74 (23 per cent) out of 323 in 2021 as per a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms.

Among the major parties, 17 out of 21 Congress candidates, 16 out of 16 AINR nominees, 11 out of 12 DMK candidates, and all 10 nominees of the BJP have declared assets valued at more than Rs 1 crore.

The total assets of 291 candidates stood at Rs 2,099 crore, an average of Rs 7.21 crore per nominee, the report said.

Tamil actor Vijay, running solo under his party "Vijay Makkal Katchi", is contesting all 30 seats. With the youth vote and anti-incumbency sentiment likely leaning toward his party, Vijay's candidacy could split the vote and lead to a surprising victory for another party. On March 22, his party announced its slate of candidates for the assembly polls, confirming its intent to contest all constituencies independently.

About 23 per cent of candidates contesting the Puducherry Assembly polls have declared criminal cases against their names, while 41 per cent are crorepatis, a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms said.

The NGO working on electoral reforms analysed the affidavits of 291 out of the 294 candidates contesting the 30 seats in the elections scheduled for April 9. The results will be out on May 4.

Notably, 24,919 new voters have been added to the electoral rolls this year. Around 9.5 lakh voters will decide the electoral fate of 294 candidates in the Puducherry Assembly elections today as the Union Territory heads into a high-stakes contest.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the All India NR Congress (AINRC) along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), emerged victorious in the 2021 Assembly elections.

The AINRC, under the leadership of N. Rangaswamy, played a crucial role in securing the alliance’s win. Together, the NDA crossed the majority mark in the 30-member Assembly, paving the way to form the government in the Union Territory.

Chief Minister Rangaswamy himself won from the Thattanchavady constituency, reinforcing his leadership in the region.

As voting for the Puducherry Assembly elections begins, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged voters to cast their vote in higher numbers.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "As the Puducherry Assembly elections commence, I urge every voter to come out and participate in record numbers. I especially appeal to our youth and to women voters to strengthen the process of democracy. Every vote matters in shaping the future of Puducherry."

Voting for the Puducherry Assembly elections has begun today across the Union Territory, covering all 30 Assembly seats. Polling started at 7 am in Puducherry and its enclaves: Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam with around 9.5 lakh voters eligible to cast their ballots.

In Puducherry, the NDA government led by All India N R Congress (AINRC) chief N. Rangasamy has been in power since 2021. Given the Union Territory's small size and 30-seat Assembly, analysts believe that the personal appeal of candidates may play a more decisive role than broader political narratives.

In the ruling NDA, the AINRC is in the race in 16 constituencies, and its ally BJP in 10, and AIADMK and LJK are in the fray for two constituencies each. The opposition, the INDIA bloc, after a protracted seat-sharing negotiation, reached a settlement to allocate Congress 16 constituencies, and to field DMK in 13 and VCK in one (Uzhavarkarai).

As voting begins shortly, for those voters who have not yet received their physical voter ID card, whether due to loss or delays in processing, there is no need to worry. You can still cast your vote even without the plastic card.

You can easily download your e-EPIC through the National Voter Service Portal (NVSP) or the Voter Helpline app. Here’s how:

- Register or log in on the portal or app

- Navigate to the ‘Download e-EPIC’ section

- Enter your EPIC number (a 10-digit alphanumeric ID) or reference number

To prevent misuse, an OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number for verification. Once verified, you can download a PDF version of your voter ID.

According to the Election Commission of India, this digital copy is a valid proof of identity and can be used to cast your vote.

- Gazette Notification Issued: March 16, 2026

- Last Date for Nominations: March 23, 2026

- Scrutiny of Nominations: March 24, 2026

- Last Date for Withdrawal of Nominations: March 26, 2026

- Polling Date: April 9, 2026

Several parties are contesting the Puducherry Assembly elections, led by two major alliances and multiple smaller outfits. The main fight is between the NDA (AINRC, BJP, AIADMK, LJP) and the INDIA bloc (Congress, DMK, VCK).

Apart from these, other parties in the fray include CPI, CPI(M), Naam Tamizhar Katchi, and actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), along with a few smaller regional groups and independent candidates.

In total, over 10 political parties and alliances are participating in the election.

Around 9.5 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in the Puducherry Assembly elections today. This includes 24,919 new voters, who will be voting for the first time, across 30 Assembly seats in Puducherry and its enclaves: Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam.