live
Tamil Nadu will go to polls on Thursday in a single phase across all 234 Assembly constituencies.
Published: April 23, 2026 6:42 AM IST
Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026 Voting Live Updates: Polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 23, with vote counting scheduled for May 4. Polling will be conducted across all 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, with as many as 75,064 polling stations established to facilitate voter participation and ensure accessibility.
The high-stakes battle mainly pits the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance against the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance. Chief Minister M. K. Stalin is aiming to retain power, while AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is striving to lead his party back to the treasury benches after five years.
Actor-turned-politician Vijay, who launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam in February 2024, is making his electoral debut by contesting from Tiruchirapalli East and Perambur. Meanwhile, DMK chief M. K. Stalin is in the fray from Kolathur, a constituency long regarded as his political stronghold.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls are being framed as a fierce contest between two dominant alliances — the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance, where the AIADMK continues to play a central role in the state.
The authorities have even deployed 1,06,418 electronic voting machines (EVMs), ensuring adequate availability, redundancy, and backup systems in case of any technical contingencies during polling hours. Security arrangements have been significantly strengthened and scaled up, with as many as 83,875 police personnel deployed across the state at polling stations, strong rooms, and other sensitive locations to maintain law and order.
In addition to the state police deployment, a total of 300 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), including personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have been stationed across sensitive and vulnerable areas to maintain peace and prevent any untoward incidents during the polling process.
