Counting day begins: Kerala awaits verdict as votes to be tallied under tight EC watch

Counting of votes for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections is set to begin on May 4, with the Election Commission of India overseeing the process across all constituencies.

The state, which went to polls in a single phase on April 9, will see votes from all 140 assembly seats counted simultaneously. The counting process is scheduled to start at 8 am, with initial trends expected within the first few hours and final results likely by later in the day.

Officials said counting will follow standard protocol, beginning with postal ballots before moving to votes recorded in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Multiple rounds of counting are expected, with round-wise trends shaping the overall picture as the day progresses.

Security and monitoring arrangements have been tightened, with counting centres operating under strict supervision to ensure transparency and accuracy. The Election Commission has also introduced additional measures such as enhanced identity verification at counting venues to streamline the process.

Kerala’s electoral contest remains a high-stakes battle primarily between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) aiming to expand its presence.

The results will determine the composition of the next government in the state, where the halfway mark in the 140-member Assembly is 71 seats.

Across India, counting will also take place simultaneously in other states including Tamil Nadu, Assam, and West Bengal, making May 4 a crucial day in the country’s electoral calendar.

With political parties, candidates, and voters closely watching developments, Kerala now awaits a decisive verdict that will shape its governance for the next five years.