Thiruvananthapuram, 04 May (HS) :Kerala is set to witness a decisive day in its political calendar as counting of votes for the 2026 Assembly elections begins on Monday, with authorities enforcing a statewide dry day and tight security arrangements.

Liquor outlets and bars across the state will remain closed for the day in view of the counting process, which marks the end of nearly a month-long electoral suspense. Voters and political parties alike are eagerly awaiting the verdict that will determine the future course of governance in the state.

Counting will commence at 8 a.m. with postal ballots, followed by the counting of votes recorded in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) from 8:30 a.m. Postal ballots will be brought from strong rooms to counting halls and sorted into bundles of 50 before being counted.

The process is being carried out at 140 counting centres spread across 43 locations in the state. Election officials expect the first trends to emerge by around 9 a.m., offering an early indication of the electoral outcome.

Each round of counting is likely to take up to 30 minutes, with multiple rounds required in most constituencies. Officials indicated that the final results for all 140 Assembly seats are expected to be declared by around 5 p.m.

A total electorate of 2.71 crore voters participated in the elections, casting their votes across 30,495 polling booths and other designated facilities.

Real-time updates of constituency-wise results will be made available on the Election Commission’s official website and through the ECINET mobile application, ensuring transparency and public access to the counting process.

With high stakes for all major political fronts, Kerala now awaits the people’s mandate.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman