Exit polls 2026 LIVE: High turnout sets the stage as exit polls await in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal

Rashmi Pandey — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:36:05 +0000

Exit polls for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are set to be released on Wednesday after voting concludes in the second and final phase of West Bengal later in the day.

The polls have already drawn attention for unusually high participation across several states. Tamil Nadu recorded a historic 85.1% voter turnout in the Assembly elections, while Puducherry led with 91.23%, according to the figures cited in election coverage. Assam saw a turnout of 85.91%, and Kerala registered 78.27%.

West Bengal also saw record engagement in the first phase of polling on Thursday, April 23, when turnout touched 92.88% across 152 constituencies in 16 districts, sealing the fate of 1,478 candidates. The state is voting in two phases, with the second and final phase scheduled for Wednesday.

The five-state contest has unfolded in different phases. Assam, Kerala and Puducherry voted in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu went to the polls on April 23. West Bengal alone is spread across two phases, making it the final state to complete voting before exit polls are released.

In Tamil Nadu, polling was described as historic because of the strong response across constituencies and the broad participation seen during the campaign. In Puducherry, final turnout figures crossed the 90% mark after postal ballots were added, making it one of the highest polling percentages seen in the Union Territory.

In Kerala, Rahul Gandhi’s campaign presence has again energized the Congress-led UDF, while early polling trends and exit-poll coverage suggest a tough fight for the Left. In Tamil Nadu too, Congress campaign activity alongside the DMK has kept the Gandhi factor visible, even though the final results are still awaited.

With voting now nearly complete across all five regions, the political focus shifts to whether the high turnout translates into a sweep for any side or produces a tighter, more fragmented result.

Assembly elections 2026 | Business Upturn

Exit polls 2026 LIVE: High turnout sets the stage as exit polls await in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal