Published May 04, 2026 | 7:24 AM ⚊ Updated May 04, 2026 | 8:59 AM
Pinarayi Vijayan, VD Satheesan and Rajev Chandrasekhar.
The votes cast for the 2026 Assembly elections held in Kerala on 9 April are being counted on Monday, 4 May, at 140 counting centres in 43 locations across the state, with support from a massive workforce of 15,465 officials.
The counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Authorities have completed preparations for the process, and security arrangements are in place.
The counting will decide whether the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF will win the state for a third consecutive time or the Congress-led UDF will make a comeback. The BJP-led NDA is also showcasing high hopes. The election saw a massive voter turnout of 79.63 percent.
The counting will begin with postal ballots, followed by votes recorded in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Each counting centre will have up to 14 tables for EVM counting, with a maximum of 14 EVMs counted per round. Separate tables will be designated for postal ballots at a ratio of one table per 500 ballots, each supervised by an ARO.
Strong rooms housing EVMs and other polling equipment will be opened in the presence of candidates or their authorised representatives, along with Election Commission observers and officials. The entire process will be duly recorded to ensure transparency.
In Kerala, most exit polls said the UDF is set to win between 70 and 85 seats in the 140-member Assembly, the ruling LDF about 55 to 70 seats, and the BJP-led NDA a distant third, with 0–5 seats.
People’s Pulse projects the UDF at 75–85 seats and the LDF at 55–65, with the NDA at 0–3. Similarly, CNN-News18 estimates UDF at 70–80 and LDF at 58–68, with NDA at 0–4.
P-Marq projects UDF at 71–79 and LDF at 62–69, while Axis My India gives the UDF a wider margin at 78–90 seats, compared to LDF’s 49–62. Phalodi Satta Bazaar estimates UDF at 78–85 and LDF at 56–66, with NDA at 2–3.
The JVC Exit Poll places UDF at 72–84 and LDF at 52–61, with NDA at 3–7 seats. In contrast, Matrize places the LDF ahead at 70–75 seats, with UDF at 60–65 and NDA at 3–5.
In Ambalapuzha, G Sudhakaran leads by 1,576 votes.
LDF's H Salam, also the sitting MLA, is trailing. Sudhakaran, who was a senior leader with CPI(M), decided to contest against the party with UDF backing this time.
According to the updated ECI data, Congress is leading in 50 seats, followed by CPI(M) with 31. IUML has lead in 17 seats, while CPI is ahead in 13 seats. Kerala Congress leads in four, and BJP and RSP have three each. Independents are leading in two seats, while RJD, RMPI, ISJD, KEC(J), and CMP have one lead each.
In Mananthavady, Minister OR Kelu is trailing and Congress's Usha Vijayan is leading.
At Vadakara, upon completion of three rounds of counting, UDF's KK Rema, who is also the sitting MLA, is leading by 2,808 votes
Status of Kerala Ministers :
Pinarayi Vijayan trailing
Veena George trailing
PA Muhammad Riyas leading
J Chinchurani trailing
P Prasad trailing
AK Saseendran trailing
VN Vasavan trailing
Roshy Augustine trailing
R Bindu trailing
Ramachandran Kadannappalli trailing
KN Balagopal leading
OR Kelu trailing
GR Anil leading
In Kalpetta, T Siddique of Congress is leading.
In Nattika, after the completion of the counting of two rounds, LDF's Geetha Gopi is leading with 1,352 votes.
Sitting MLA CC Mukundan, who was with LDF and later joined BJP, is trailing. He is in the third position.
In Malappuram, UDF's PK Kunjalikkutty leads by 5,126 votes.
In Paravur, Congress's VD Satheesan is trailing. ET Taison of LDF is leading with 243 votes after the first round of counting.
In Thrikkakara, Uma Thomas of Congress is leading, and party workers have already begun celebrations.
In Kazhakootam, where the BJP pins high hopes, after the first round, LDF's Kadakampally Surendran is leading, and BJP's V Muraleedharan is trailing by 379 votes.
In Puthuppally, Chandy Oommen of Congress is leading with 5,315 votes.
In Thrissur, NDA's Padmaja Venugopal is trailing by 4,530 votes.
In Nemom, BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar is leading with 1,302 votes.
In Guruvayur, IUML's NK Akbar is leading with 998 votes, BJP's B Gopalakrishnan trailing
In Peravoor, LDF's KK Shailaja is leading, and UDF's Sunny Joseph is trailing by 23 votes.
Sunny Joseph is the KPCC president.
In Chathannur, BB Gopakumar of the BJP is leading.
In Kanjirapally, NDA's George Kurian is trailing by 1,050 votes. He is a Union Minister.
In Pala, LDF candidate Jose K Mani is trailing
Jose K Mani is the KC(M) chairman. There, sitting MLA Mani C Kappan is leading with 193 votes.
In Thrissur, Rajan Pallan of Congress is leading. Padmaja Venugopal of BJP is trailing.
At Dharmadam, where Pinarayi Vijayan is contesting, he is trailing. UDF's VP Abdul Rasheed is leading with 733 votes.
At Chittur, UDF's Sumesh Achuthan is leading, and LDF's V Murugadas is trailing.
This time, LDF's K Krishnankutty is not contesting.
In Chirayinkeezhu, Ramya Haridas of UDF is leading.
According to ECI data, Congress is leading in 19 seats, followed by CPI(M) with 9. IUML is ahead in 3 seats, while CPI, Kerala Congress and RSP have leads in 2 seats each. RJD, RMPI, and an independent candidate are leading in one seat each.
In Koduvally, PK Firoz of UDF is leading.
At Thrissur, the second round of counting has been completed. Rajan Pallan of UDF is leading with 1,347 votes
In Perambra, Fathima Thahiliya of IUML leads with 623 votes.
In Irinjalakuda, after the first round of counting, LDF's Thomas Unniyadan is leading with 1,045 votes,
In Vadakara, UDF's KK Rema is leading with 6,049 votes.
In Palakkad, Ramesh Pisharody of Congress is leading.
In Chittoor, Sumesh Achyuthan of Congress is leading.
In Kayamkulam, UDF's M Liju is leading and sitting MLA U Prathibha is trailing.
In Beypore, Minister PA Mohammed Riyas is leading with 350 votes. PV Anvar is trailing.
At Chavara in Kollam, UDF's Shibu Babu John is leading.
At Aranmula, Abin Varkey of Congress leads by 225 votes. Minister Veena George is trailing there.
At Sulthan Bathery, UDF's IC Balakrishnan is leading. He is the sitting MLA.
In Manjeshwar, K Surendran of the BJP is leading with 112 votes.
In Nattakom, Suresh of UDF is leading. VN Vasavan, who is the Minister for Devaswom, is trailing there
UR Pradeep, LDF candidate for Chelakkara, is leading with 1,876 votes.
At Nattikam, Geetha Gopi of LDF is leading with 859 votes.
At Thrissur, Rajan Pallan of UDF is leading with 873 votes.
In the Kalamassery constituency, VE Abdul Gafoor of IUML is leading by 600 votes against Minister and LDF candidate P Rajeev.
In Thrissur, Thomas Unniyadan of LDF leads with 704 votes at Irinjalakuda and at Chalakkudy, Biju Chirayth of LDF leads with 10 votes.
In the Kollam constituency, Bindu Krishna of UDF has a 174-vote lead.
Thrissur:
In Nattika, Geetha Gopi of LDF leads by 94 votes.
In Thrissur, Rajan Pallan of UDF has a 392-vote lead.
An unusual incident was reported in the Kalamassery Assembly constituency in Ernakulam, where P Rajeev is contesting. The key to the strong room went missing, prompting a search after which officials broke the seal and entered the strong room.
Initial trends from 134 out of 140 Assembly Constituencies are coming up.
LDF and UDF are leading in 65 seats each, and NDA in four seats.
Initial trends coming from 116 Constituencies out of 140.
UDF leading in initial trends.
At three constituencies — Palakkad, Kazhakootam and Manjeswaram — NDA is leading.
Counting of the votes cast for the Kerala Assembly elections have begun at 140 counting centres in 43 locations across the state, with support from a massive workforce of 15,465 officials.
RMP leader KK Rema, contesting from the Vatakara Assembly constituency, offered prayers at the memorial of her husband and RMP martyr TP Chandrasekharan before heading to the counting centre with party workers.
Addressing the media, Rema said that 4 May marks the 14th martyrdom day of TP Chandrasekharan, a day that carries added political significance this year.
She stated that the election results would deliver a form of poetic justice, a strong reckoning for those behind his murder and added that the CPI(M) and its leadership are likely to face a major setback.
20 out of the 21 members of the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led Council of Ministers are in the electoral fray, awaiting the people’s verdict.
The lone exception is K Krishnankutty, who held the Electricity portfolio but chose not to contest.
When the government assumed office in 2021, the cabinet included leaders like M V Govindan, K Radhakrishnan, Antony Raju, and Ahammad Devarkovil.
A key reshuffle unfolded in 2022 when Kodiyeri Balakrishnan stepped back from his role as CPI(M) state secretary due to health concerns.
MV Govindan took over the reins, resigning from his ministerial post.
This triggered a chain reaction: MB Rajesh moved from Speaker to Minister, while AN Shamseer assumed the Speaker’s chair.
Another reshuffle followed in 2023, when Antony Raju and Ahammad Devarkovil stepped down as part of a pre-arranged agreement.
They were succeeded by KB Ganesh Kumar and Ramachandran Kadannappally.
In June 2024, K Radhakrishnan resigned after winning the Alathur Lok Sabha seat, paving the way for OR Kelu to join the ministry.
LDF candidate for Kannur Assembly Constituency Ramachandran Kadannappalli at a counting centre.
Senior Congress leader and Kottayam Assembly candidate Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan heading to the counting centre with party workers.
With the stage set for vote counting in the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections, authorities have begun opening strong rooms under tight security, marking the final step before results are declared.
Strong rooms are being opened in the presence of candidates, authorised agents, and Election Commission observers. The entire process is being recorded to ensure transparency.
A total of 140 counting centres across 43 locations are operational, staffed by 15,465 officials, including Returning Officers, AAROs, micro observers, supervisors, and assistants. A total of 883 candidates contested in the polls held on 9 April.
Counting will begin with postal ballots, followed by Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Each centre will have up to 14 tables, with a maximum of 14 EVMs counted per round. Postal ballots will be handled separately, with one table for every 500 ballots under AARO supervision.
After each round, Form 17C will be verified alongside EVM data. Any mismatch between machine counts and booth-level records will trigger mandatory VVPAT verification.
Five booths per constituency will undergo compulsory VVPAT slip verification, while additional checks will be conducted in case of discrepancies. Two EVM observers will also be randomly assigned per round.
Data from EVMs will be matched with Part I of Form 17C to ensure consistency with official polling records.
The tentative voter turnout stands at 79.70 percent. Of the 53,984 postal ballots issued to service voters, 20,028 had been received as of May 1, with more expected before counting begins.
A total of 32,301 police personnel have been deployed statewide to maintain law and order during the counting process.
Authorities say all arrangements are in place to ensure a smooth, transparent, and credible counting exercise as Kerala awaits the verdict of the electorate.
An official opening a strong room in Kerala.
In a matter of hours, the electoral suspense gripping Kerala will end, as the race to cross the crucial 71-seat mark enters its final phase.
LDF, which has steadily strengthened its position over the past two elections, eyes a third straight term in Kerala. In 2016, it secured 91 out of 140 Assembly seats. That number rose to 99 seats in 2021, helping the alliance retain power.
Its vote share also saw an upward trend, climbing from 43.3 percent in 2016 to 45.3 percent in 2021.
The trajectory contrasts sharply with the situation a decade ago.
In 2011, the contest between the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF was extremely close.
The UDF edged ahead by just four seats, winning 72 seats against the LDF’s 68.
That narrow victory (as 71 seats being the simple majority) came with a vote share of 46.03 percent for the UDF. Now, the UDF is looking to convert that past resilience into a stronger showing.
After the razor-thin win in 2011, the alliance is hoping for a more decisive performance this time.
In the 2006 Assembly polls, LDF won 98 seats and UDF 42.
The counting process will begin at 8 am with postal, home and service votes, while EVM counting starts at 8.30 am and is expected to provide the first official trends.
To ensure transparency, round-wise updates will be published on the Election Commission's website.
Security arrangements are tight. Strongrooms were opened at 7 am in the presence of candidate representatives, with restricted access to counting centres through QR-coded passes monitored by CRPF personnel.
Emphasising accuracy over speed, the Commission aims to declare final results by 5 pm, warning of strict action against any lapses.
The operation involves more than 15,000 officials and over 32,000 security personnel.
CEO Ratan U. Khelkar said unofficial postal ballot trends may appear in the media early, but their official confirmation usually takes longer due to detailed verification and the resolution of objections.
