The Assembly elections in Assam are being held today (Thursday, April 9, 2026), and many celebrities have stepped out to cast their votes. Late singer Zubeen Garg's wife, Garima Saikia Garg, was spotted at a polling booth in Dispur. Despite being unwell, she turned up to exercise her franchise.
Speaking to the media at the polling booth, Garima said, "Main kal hi hospital se bahar aayi hoon. Pehle main hamesha Zubeen ke saath aati thi. Yeh matdaan sabka kartavya hai, daitya hai. It is our duty to cast the vote. Shareer asusht hai, fir bhi hum aaye hai apna vote daan karne ke liye aur kar diya apna vote daan (I just came out of the hospital yesterday. Earlier, I always used to come with Zubeen. Voting is everyone's duty; it is our duty to cast a vote. I am physically unwell, but still I have come to cast my vote)."
Further speaking about justice for Zubeen, she added, "Woh toh chahiye. Uske ke liye hum lad rahe hai. Jaldi se result nikle yahi hum aasha karte hai, aur nyay hum sabko mile (That's what we need. We are fighting for it. We hope the results come quickly and that we all get justice)."
Assam recorded a significant voter turnout of 59.63 per cent as of 1 p.m. on Thursday, while in Kerala it stood at 49.70 per cent, according to data shared by the Election Commission of India for the ongoing 2026 Assembly elections. The Union Territory of Puducherry also saw a sizeable turnout of 56.83 per cent.
#WATCH | Garima Saikia Garg says, "I got discharged from the hospital yesterday. Earlier, I used to go to vote along with Zubeen. It is our duty to cast a vote. So, I am physically unwell, but I have come here to vote..."
— ANI (@ANI) April 9, 2026
She also says, "We are fighting for it (justice for… https://t.co/ImOgvvmDbv pic.twitter.com/ZGcxraKdAX
Earlier in the day, turnout at 11 a.m. stood at 38.92 per cent in Assam and 33.28 per cent in Kerala, while Puducherry recorded 37.06 per cent. Polling for the high-stakes electoral battles across two states and one Union Territory began at 7 a.m.
Voting is underway for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry, with counting scheduled for May 4. In Kerala, over 2.6 crore electors will decide the fate of 883 candidates across 140 constituencies. Of the 2,69,53,644 registered voters, 1,38,27,319 are women and 1,31,26,048 are men, along with 277 voters registered under the third gender category.
Among the electorate, nearly 4,24,518 voters fall in the 18–19 age group, while 2,04,608 are aged 85 and above. To ensure smooth polling, authorities have set up 30,471 polling stations across the state.
The election in Kerala is shaping up as a key contest, with Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) seeking a historic third consecutive term, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) aims to return to power amid anti-incumbency trends.
