Puducherry is set for its assembly elections on April 9, 2026, with 9.5 lakh voters eligible to cast their ballots for 294 candidates across 30 constituencies. The Chief Electoral Officer, P Jawahar, expressed confidence in achieving over 90% voter turnout, building on the 82.2% turnout from the previous election in 2021. The election will see the ruling All India NR Congress (AINRC), part of the NDA coalition, contesting 16 seats, while the Congress-led INDIA bloc aims to reclaim power with candidates in 16 seats as well. The election department has taken measures against electoral malpractice, seizing items worth ₹8.4 crore intended for vote-buying and suspending several government officials for political involvement. Additionally, international observers from countries including Kyrgyzstan and Bhutan will be present to oversee the polling process. The department has also introduced the Meipporul 2.0 application to combat misinformation, urging voters to