Puducherry results will be known by noon

Who will form the next government in the Union Territory is expected to be known by around 11 a.m. on Thursday when most of polled votes for the 2016 Assembly election would have been accounted for.

At the conclusion of a long-drawn campaign, which began in the first week of March when the Election Commission of India announced polls for five States including Union Territory, over 84.08 percent of the total 9,41,398 electorate exercised their franchise on Monday across 930 polling stations. Over 4.22 lakh women (53.52 per cent) and 3.68 lakh men (46.48 per cent) cast their votes, according to data with the Chief Electoral Officer.

Braving inclement weather and power outages that slowed down polling at some places that Puducherry emerged with its reputation for high voter participation intact. Monday’s polling rates were only marginally lower than the 85.52 per cent recorded in 2011 and the 86 per cent in 2006.

The battle for the 30-seat legislative Assembly is being fought among the ruling All India NR Congress led by Chief Minister N.Rangasamy, the Congress-DMK alliance, AIADMK, BJP and People’s Welfare Front.

Mr. Rangasamy, who is Puducherry’s longest-serving Chief Minister, is seeking a mandate for a fourth stint while the Congress-DMK looks to re-establish dominance in what has been a Congress bastion.