New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) Welcoming high turnout in the first phase of Assembly elections on Thursday, possibly the highest in five decades, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar greeted voters and poll officials, highlighting that the impressive voting numbers reflect the people’s trust in democracy.

“Assembly Elections 2026 in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry are a historic testimony not only for India but for the entire democratic world,” the CEC said as Puducherry recorded a turnout of 89.08 per cent, Assam 85.04 per cent and Kerala 77.38 per cent around 7 p.m. with numbers expected to go up further in the final tally.

“On behalf of ECI, I congratulate each and every elector of Assam, Puducherry and Kerala for this historic achievement,” he said, even as election officials suggested that the turnout in the first phase of the Assembly polls could be the highest ever in five decades.

Sources said that the highest-ever voter turnout in the last 50 years signified that electors have a very high trust in ECI led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and with such a high faith of electors in elections conducted by ECI, India is a much more stronger democracy now.

The “Chunav ka Parv, Matdaata ka Garv” campaign was, to a large extent, also responsible for the record turnout, as per the sources.

As per Article 324 of the Constitution, the ECI has two main roles: the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections, and Thursday’s voting patterns show that people have very high trust in both a transparent SIR by the ECI and the transparent conduct of elections by the ECI, the sources said.

The polling percentage recorded in the three states/UT has set new records.

The numbers, even before the finalisation of the figure on voting percentage, surpassed the final electoral turnout of 2021, when Puducherry recorded 83.42 per cent, Assam 82.42 per cent, and Kerala around 76 per cent. Incidentally, the turnout dropped marginally in 2021 compared to 2016.

–IANS

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