2026 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election

2026 Puducherry Legislative Assembly election
9 April 2026
All 30 seats in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly
16 seats needed for a majority
Registered9,44,211 ( 6.01%)[1]
 
DMK
Leader N. Rangaswamy R. Siva
Party AINRC DMK
Alliance NDA SPA
Leader since 2011 2021
Last election 25.85%, 10 seats 18.51%, 6 seats
Current seats 10 7
Seats needed 6 9
 
BJP
Leader V. P. Ramalingam V. Vaithilingam
Party BJP INC
Alliance NDA SPA
Leader since 2023 2023
Last election 13.66%, 6 seats 15.71%, 2 seats
Current seats 6 2
Seats needed 10 14
Map of the assembly constituencies in Puducherry
Incumbent Chief Minister

N. Rangaswamy
AINRC



Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Puducherry on 9 April 2026 to elect all the 30 members of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on 4 May 2026.

Background

Elections to a Legislative Assembly in India are usually held once in five years, and the members of the legislative assembly are directly elected to serve five year terms from single-member constituencies.

The tenure of Puducherry Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end on 15 June 2026.[2] In the previous assembly elections held in April 2021, the All India N.R. Congress-led National Democratic Alliance formed the state government after winning 16 out of 30 seats in the assembly, with N. Rangaswamy sworn in as the Chief Minister.[3]

In the later part of 2025, the Election Commission of India conducted a Special Intensive Revision after 24 years, to revise the electoral rolls.[4]

Schedule

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the election on 15 March 2026.[5]

Event Date
Date for Nomination 16 March 2026
Last date for filing nominations 23 March 2026
Scrutiny of nominations 24 March 2026
Last date for withdrawal of nomination 26 March 2026
Polling 9 April 2026
Counting of votes 4 May 2026
Deadline for the completion of election process 6 May 2026

Voter statistics

According to the Election Commission of India, 9,44,211 voters were eligible to vote in the assembly elections in Puducherry. This includes 4,43,595 male, 5,00,477 female, and 139 third gender voters.[1]

Parties and alliances

National Democratic Alliance

The seat sharing was finalised on 20 March 2026.[6]

National Democratic Alliance[6]
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats[6]
All India N.R. Congress N. Rangasamy[7] 16
Bharatiya Janata Party V. P. Ramalingam[8] 10
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam A. Anbalagan[9] 2
Latchiya Jananayaga Katchi Jose Charles Martin[10] 2
Total 30

Secular Progressive Alliance

Secular Progressive Alliance[11]
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Indian National Congress V. Vaithilingam[12]
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam R. Siva[12]
Communist Party of India A. M. Saleem[13]
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi Deva Pozhilan[14]
Total 30

Others

Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Communist Party of India (Marxist) S. Ramachandran[15]
Naam Tamilar Katchi Seeman[16] 28[17]
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam N. Anand[18]

Candidates

District Constituency
NDA SPA
Puducherry 1 Mannadipet
2 Thirubuvanai (SC)
3 Ossudu (SC)
4 Mangalam
5 Villianur
6 Ozhukarai
7 Kadirkamam
8 Indira Nagar
9 Thattanchavady
10 Kamaraj Nagar
11 Lawspet
12 Kalapet
13 Muthialpet
14 Raj Bhavan
15 Oupalam AIADMK A. Anbalagan
16 Orleampeth AIADMK
17 Nellithope
18 Mudaliarpet
19 Ariankuppam
20 Manavely
21 Embalam (SC)
22 Nettapakkam (SC)
23 Bahour
Karaikal 24 Nedungadu (SC)
25 Thirunallar
26 Karaikal North
27 Karaikal South
28 Neravy T. R. Pattinam
Mahe 29 Mahe
Yanam 30 Yanam

Surveys and polls

Opinion polls

Vote share projections
Polling agency Date published Sample size Margin of error Lead
NDA SPA Others
Seat projections
Polling agency Date published Sample size Margin of error Lead
NDA SPA Others

Exit polls

Polling agency Date published Lead
NDA SPA Others

Results

By alliance or party

Alliance/ Party Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Contested Won +/−
NDA All India N.R. Congress 16
Bharatiya Janata Party 10
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 2
Latchiya Jananayaka Katchi 2
Total ' 30
SPA Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Indian National Congress
Communist Party of India
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
Makkal Needhi Maiam
Total '
Other parties
Independents
NOTA
Total 100% — 30 —

By district

District Seats
NDA SPA Others
Puducherry 23
Karaikal 5
Mahe 1
Yanam 1
Total 30

By constituency

District Constituency Winner Runner-up Margin
No. Name Candidate Party Votes % Candidate Party Votes %
Puducherry 1 Mannadipet
2 Thirubuvanai (SC)
3 Ossudu (SC)
4 Mangalam
5 Villianur
6 Ozhukarai
7 Kadirkamam
8 Indira Nagar
9 Thattanchavady
10 Kamaraj Nagar
11 Lawspet
12 Kalapet
13 Muthialpet
14 Raj Bhavan
15 Oupalam
16 Orleampeth
17 Nellithope
18 Mudaliarpet
19 Ariankuppam
20 Manavely
21 Embalam (SC)
22 Nettapakkam (SC)
23 Bahour
Karaikal 24 Nedungadu (SC)
25 Thirunallar
26 Karaikal North
27 Karaikal South
28 Neravy T. R. Pattinam
Mahé 29 Mahe
Yanam 30 Yanam

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b "Puducherry publishes final electoral roll; over 9.4 lakh voters registered". madhyamamonline.com. 14 February 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  2. ^ "Term of the Houses". Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  3. ^ "NR Congress-BJP alliance emerges victorious in Puducherry assembly polls". Business Standard. 3 May 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  4. ^ "SIR rollout schedule announced in Puducherry". The Hindu. 29 October 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Puducherry election dates: Voting on April 9, results on May 4". The Hindustan Times. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  6. ^ a b c "Puducherry Assembly Polls: AINRC, BJP Seat Sharing Deal". Deccan Herald. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  7. ^ "Puducherry: BJP draws clear strategy to fight the election in alliance with CM Rangaswamy's AINRC". The Week. 14 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Mansukh Mandaviya appointed BJP in-charge for Puducherry ahead of 2026 polls". The Economic Times. 19 April 2025. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  9. ^ "AIADMK seeks reshuffle of police officers working in suburban and rural areas in Puducherry". The Hindu. 4 July 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
  10. ^ "Businessman Jose Charles Martin floats new party in Puducherry". The Hindu. 14 December 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Puducherry Assembly election 2026: Congress, DMK leaders to meet again for seat-sharing talks". The Hindu. 15 March 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Congress Working to Strengthen INDIA bloc in Puducherry: Former CM Vaithilingam". The New Indian Express. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  13. ^ "Saleem re-elected secretary of CPI's Puducherry unit". The Hindu. 3 September 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  14. ^ "VCK workers stage demonstration". The Hindu. 5 March 2025. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  15. ^ "CPI (M) demands scrapping of Smart Meter project in Puducherry". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 October 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Seeman backs TVK chief on UT's statehood". DT Next. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
  17. ^ "NTK announces candidates for Assembly polls in Puducherry". The Hindu. 7 March 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  18. ^ "Puducherry polls: TVK to fly solo as AINRC tie-up talks fail". The Times of India. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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