Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: Voting has begun
Tamil Nadu: Voting for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections began at 7 a.m. on Thursday (April 23). Enthusiasm was evident across the state from early morning, and a large number of voters began arriving at polling stations. In many places, long queues were seen as early as 6 a.m., even before voting began.
Given the intense heat in Tamil Nadu this year, voters preferred to vote early in the morning to avoid the heat that increased as the day progressed. Crowds were seen at most polling stations early in the morning, and voters lined up to exercise their democratic right.
A total of 57.3 million voters across the state are eligible to cast their votes in this Assembly election. This includes 1.4 million first-time voters. Meanwhile, 39.8 million voters are over 85 years of age, bringing their experience to the table and participating in democracy.
Across the state, 75,064 polling booths have been set up for voting, located at 33,133 locations. The Election Commission has made extensive arrangements to ensure a smooth and safe voting process. Of these, 5,949 polling stations located at 3,025 locations have been identified as sensitive, where special monitoring and security arrangements have been put in place.
A total of 4,023 candidates are contesting in 234 assembly seats in this election. The campaigning for all candidates has already concluded, and voters are now casting their votes at their discretion.
Voting stations have provided several basic amenities, including drinking water, shade, and seating arrangements, to ensure voter convenience. The Election Commission has also deployed security forces to ensure a peaceful and fair election.
Despite the heat and crowds, voting was brisk in the morning, and it is expected that a large number of people will exercise their franchise throughout the day. The voting process is progressing peacefully across the state.
