Votes were polled in 1,53,538 Polling Stations spread across 475 Assembly Constituencies today, in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and for third phase of Assam and West Bengal. The number of Polling Stations has increased in view of the fact that the number of voters per polling station has been reduced from 1,500 to 1,000 keeping social distancing norms in view.
The voter turnout In Assam was 82.28% and 84.21% in West Bengal. While 73.40% of the people voted in Kerala till 6 pm, neighbouring Tamil Nadu witnessed 62.86% during the period till 5 pm. 77.87% voters cast their votes in Puducherry.
Meanwhile, an election officer in Bengal was suspended after he claimed he slept overnight with an electronic voting machine (EVM) at the home of a Trinamool Congress leader. The EVM and VVPAT will not be used in the polls, the election body said this morning. Tapan Sarkar, the deputed officer for Howrah's Sector 17 in AC 177 Uluberia Uttar, was found to have taken a reserve EVM to his politician-relative's home to sleep over. Charges for major punishment will now be framed against the official, authorities have said. Police officials attached to him will also face action, they said.
Along with the state polls, voting will also take place for Lok Sabha bypolls for Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari and Kerala's Malappuram seats.
Here are the live updates of assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry:
A clash erupted on Tuesday afternoon between the workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Kattayikonam area of rural Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala during the elections, reports news agency ANI.
West Bengal: Many voters at a polling booth in Diamond Harbour constituency claimed that TMC workers didn't let them vote.
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
"Officials came here but didn't facilitate voting for us," said a woman, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/VJCzLeBJsg
Assam: Voters queue at a polling booth in Guwahati.
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
Voting for the third and final phase of Assembly elections is underway. pic.twitter.com/j8D2V3BMyU
Visually challenged voters cast their votes at a polling station in Tamil Nadu's Trichy.#TamilNaduElections2021 pic.twitter.com/PIdKeWhPXh
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
In West Bengal, admn conducts polls in favour of ruling party. That's why, in last Panchayat polls in West Bengal, 34% of voters couldn't vote. It resulted in an unopposed victory of ruling party on 20,000 seats: AR Chowdhary, Congress on EVMs & VVPAT found at TMC leader's house pic.twitter.com/Zi3UouRCzY
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
The opposition has no face in Assam. People are giving their mandate to NDA. UPPL & BJP will win all 8 seats of Phase 3 polls: Pramod Boro, Chief Executive Member, Bodoland Territorial Region#AssemblyElections2021 pic.twitter.com/YPrjXAijnQ
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
"Cash Being Freely Handed Out": Kamal Haasan On Tamil Nadu Voting Day
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 6, 2021
NDTV's Arvind Gunasekar reports
Read more: https://t.co/TH45DrAzgr#TamilNaduElections2021 #ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/J3uHwE1VfX
Kariyan , from Maancheri. He kept his words. He came out of the hills to cast his vote .Visuals from Nedunkayam, Malappuram Dist. Kerala #KeralaElections #KeralaAssemblyElections2021 #ElectionCommissionOfIndia #Election2021 #SVEEP pic.twitter.com/9Gc54oQvHK
- Chief Electoral Officer Kerala (@Ceokerala) April 6, 2021
Hooghly District Control Room has continuously been monitoring the Election Process. #WestBengalElections2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec @PIBKolkata pic.twitter.com/vWZWmrBVFT
- CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 6, 2021
#AssamAssemblyPolls | NDTV's Ratnadip Choudhury reports from a polling station in minority-dominated Dhubri district #ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/vuqQXq7tQ4
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 6, 2021
#KeralaElections2021: Union Minister V Muraleedharan casts vote at Kottaram booth in Ulloor, Thiruvananthapuram. "This poll is going to create a sort of milestone in political history of Kerala. People will express their dissatisfaction & reject both UDF & LDF alliances," he says pic.twitter.com/TSVgNIuAW0
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
Model Polling Station Booth No-136 , 137 under Chanditala-1 block, of 195 Jangipara Assembly Constituency of Hooghly District.#WestBengalElections2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec @PIBKolkata pic.twitter.com/9iFmc7MM3q
- CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 6, 2021
Electors remain conscious to maintain Social Distancing at Chanditala -1 Block area under 195 Jangipra Assembly Constituency of Hooghly District. #WestBengalElections2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec @PIBKolkata pic.twitter.com/fRMLTYpyhC
- CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 6, 2021
Polling Stations @ Kasaragod District, Kerala #KeralaElections #KeralaAssemblyElections2021 #ElectionCommissionOfIndia #Election2021 #SVEEP pic.twitter.com/APTNDuM216
- Chief Electoral Officer Kerala (@Ceokerala) April 6, 2021
In footage that has now going viral, a fan manages to get close enough to the actor to take a selfie with him - without Ajith's consent"
"People who say BJP has no place in Tamil Nadu will see BJP making a mark this time": BJP's Khushbu Sundar to NDTV's Sam Daniel #TamilNaduElections2021 #ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/I2WlE58Z5X
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 6, 2021
In a state with a four-decades-old tradition of alternating between the two main coalitions every five years, will these elections buck the trend - that's the all-important question that more than 2.74 crore people in Kerala will get to decide today."
#TamilNaduElections2021 | Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) Chief Vaiko casts his vote at Kalingapatty pic.twitter.com/90rupj0mh4
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
A voter with a new-born baby and senior citizens casting their votes in Palashbari LAC. Senior citizen voters have been gifted saplings. #AssamElection2021 #AssemblyElection2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @rajivkumarec @PIB_Guwahati @diprassam #palasbari pic.twitter.com/cDnGuexrTw
- CEO Assam (@ceo_assam) April 6, 2021
Situation is fine at many places but not okay where we're strong. At booth 45, people voted for TMC but it's going to BJP. In Arandi-ii, our workers were beaten. Central Forces are also not neutral.They're telling people to vote for BJP: Sujata Mondal, TMC candidate from Arambagh pic.twitter.com/bmMi3vuAJ7
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
Udhayanidhi Stalin, after casting his vote today in Tamil Nadu, compared his debut poll outing to an exam."
CEO Kerala casting vote at 135 Poojappura Polling Station, Nemom LAC , Thiruvananthapuram Dist., Kerala. #KeralaElections #KeralaAssemblyElections2021 #ElectionCommissionOfIndia #Election2021 #SVEEP pic.twitter.com/zeaiG9X6r1
- Chief Electoral Officer Kerala (@Ceokerala) April 6, 2021
Congress leader AK Antony cast his vote at Government High School, Jagathy in Thiruvananthapuram earlier today. #KeralaElections pic.twitter.com/YZNodLilAt
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
Waiting Place For Aged & PWD Voters at 128 - Basanti Assembly Constituency of South 24 Parganas District. #WestBengalElections2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec @PIBKolkata pic.twitter.com/kV1A6Uc1OR
- CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 6, 2021
#TamilNadu: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami casts his vote at a polling station in Siluvampalayam, Eddapadi pic.twitter.com/WTy8Cd01dH
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
92 years old elderly voter Shri Rabha being felicitated in Dudhnoi polling station. Shri Rabha have been voting in every election since independence. #AssamElection2021 #AssemblyElection2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @rajivkumarec @PIB_Guwahati @diprassam @DCGoalparaAssam pic.twitter.com/KeZZH9IyGj
- CEO Assam (@ceo_assam) April 6, 2021
#TamilNaduElections | NDTV's Arvind Gunasekar speaks to voters from Coimbatore#ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/ZvuErJc6sS
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 6, 2021
Model Polling Station-Green Protocol abide in Kovalam 139 LAC at Govt HS Venganoor Booth no 16, Thiruvananthapuram Dist.,Kerala #KeralaElections #KeralaAssemblyElections2021 #ElectionCommissionOfIndia #Election2021 #SVEEP pic.twitter.com/IFCG64LcCM
- Chief Electoral Officer Kerala (@Ceokerala) April 6, 2021
#TamilNaduElections | 13.80% voter turnout recorded in Tamil Nadu until 9 AM#ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/DzgFirTHJD
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 6, 2021
Waiting Place For Aged & PWD Voters at 128 - Basanti Assembly Constituency of South 24 Parganas District. #WestBengalElections2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec @PIBKolkata pic.twitter.com/kV1A6Uc1OR
- CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 6, 2021
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan casts his vote at a polling booth in Pinarayi#KeralaElections2021 #ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/4ao8z8F6lP
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 6, 2021
#TamilNaduElections | MK Stalin-led DMK alliance hopes to oust AIADMK government
- NDTV (@ndtv) April 6, 2021
NDTV's Uma Sudhir and Sam Daniel report#ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/7WgtQPQtmp
Voters ready to cast vote early...Pics from Kulathuppuzha Rural Polling Booth, Kollam Dist. Kerala.#KeralaElections #KeralaAssemblyElections2021 #ElectionCommissionOfIndia #Election2021 #SVEEP pic.twitter.com/bqedzOlkn1
- Chief Electoral Officer Kerala (@Ceokerala) April 6, 2021
Polling for Phase III Assembly Elections has started. A glimpse of Chief Electoral Officer Mr. Nitin Khade, IAS can be seen casting his vote. #AssemblyElection2021 #AssamElection2021@SpokespersonECI@ecisveep @rajivkumarec @diprassam @ceo_assam pic.twitter.com/WSSkG9s1xJ
- CEO Assam (@ceo_assam) April 6, 2021
An NSS volunteer assisting a differently-abled elector to cast her vote at the Karaikal South constituency in #Puducherry. #NoVoterToBeLeftBehind #ElectionCommissionOfIndia @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @rajivkumarec #Election2021 pic.twitter.com/5uSC42xog8
- CEO, Puducherry (@ceopuducherry) April 6, 2021
West Bengal: Polling yet to begin at booth number 129 of AC 200 in Arambag, Hooghly. Voters continue to stand in a queue. #WestBengalPolls pic.twitter.com/PGbE8NehZl
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
#WATCH: NR Congress chief N Rangaswamy visited Appa Paithiyam Swamy Temple and offered prayers today. He is contesting #PuducherryElections from Thattanchavady and Yanam constituencies. pic.twitter.com/gii2fQxAJ4
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
Do cast your votes today- India is counting on you. #Elections2021
- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 6, 2021
Model Polling Booth with Green protocol measures at Palakkad Dist. Kerala. Electoral Literacy Club & Student Police Cadet volunteers are always ready to help Electors. #KeralaElections #KeralaAssemblyElections2021 #ElectionCommissionOfIndia #Election2021 #SVEEP pic.twitter.com/JfXVlpJnyW
- Chief Electoral Officer Kerala (@Ceokerala) April 6, 2021
Two senior citizens cast their votes for the third and final phase of #AssamAssemblyPolls . Visuals from a polling booth in Kokrajhar. pic.twitter.com/2u01CZl0yY
- ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
Elections are taking place in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. I request the people in these places to vote in record numbers, particularly the young voters.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2021
Over 20 crore people from Assam, Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will vote in a mammoth electoral exercise today. For the latter three this is the first and only phase of polling. It is Assam's third and final, while Bengal has five more.