Polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections concluded peacefully at 6 PM on Thursday, with voters who had entered polling stations before the deadline being allowed to cast their ballots, officials confirmed.

According to provisional data, around 82.24 per cent of the state’s 5.73 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise in the election for the 234-member Assembly, marking one of the highest voter turnouts in the state’s electoral history. Election officials said the percentage was recorded till 5 PM, and the final turnout figures would be released after the complete consolidation of data.

Voting took place across 75,064 polling booths set up at 33,133 locations across the state, where the fate of 4,023 candidates was sealed after a day of brisk polling.

The election witnessed a multi-cornered contest, with the ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance aiming to retain power. The alliance includes the Congress, Left parties, and VCK among its key partners.

On the other hand, the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance is seeking a comeback with support from allies such as the BJP, AMMK, and PMK, hoping to reclaim the state government.

Adding a fresh dimension to the contest, actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) entered the electoral fray, attempting to challenge the decades-long political dominance of the DMK and AIADMK, which have alternated in power in Tamil Nadu for years.

Despite intense summer heat, voters turned out in large numbers from 7 AM onwards, with long queues seen at several polling stations. Officials said that all those who arrived before the closing time were permitted to vote, ensuring that every voter in line got the opportunity to participate in the democratic process.

With polling now over, attention shifts to the counting of votes, which will determine whether the DMK retains its hold on power or whether the opposition alliance manages to stage a comeback in one of India’s most politically significant states.