Exit poll trends suggest the DMK's return to power, even as the AIADMK puts up a strong fight in several regions. Meanwhile, the debut of Vijay's TVK is making an impact by carving out its own space in the state's politics.
Tamil Nadu Exit Poll 2026: Projections for 234 Seats
The Numbers Game
| Source Agency | DMK+ (SPA) | ADMK+ (NDA) | TVK (Vijay) | OTHERS |
| Praja Poll | 148 - 168 | 61 - 81 | 1 - 9 | 0 |
| P-Marq | 125 - 145 | 65 - 85 | 16 - 26 | 1 - 6 |
| Peoples Pulse | 125 - 145 | 65 - 80 | 18 - 24 | 2 - 6 |
| Peoples Insight | 120 - 140 | 60 - 70 | 30 - 40 | 0 - 4 |
| Matrize | 122 - 132 | 87 - 100 | 10 - 12 | 0 - 6 |
| Axis My India | 92 - 110 | 22 - 23 | 98 - 120 | 0 |
| JVC | 75 - 95 | 128 - 147 | 8 - 15 | 0 |
| Kamakhya Analytics | 78 - 95 | 68 - 84 | 67 - 81 | 0 |
The polling for the 30-member Puducherry Legislative Assembly concluded in a single phase on April 9, 2026, recording a historic voter turnout of approximately 89.87%.
Puducherry Exit Poll 2026: Seat Projections
Source | NRC+ | CONG+ | TVK+ | OTH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Axis My India | 16-20 | 6-8 | 2-4 | 1-3 |
KAMAKHYA ANALYTICS | 17-24 | 4-7 | 1-2 | 0-1 |
Peoples Pulse | 16-19 | 10-12 | 0-0 | 1-2 |
Praja poll | 19-25 | 6-10 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
The counting of votes for the 234 Tamil Nadu Assembly constituencies is scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM on May 4, 2026, across 62 designated centers. Tamil Nadu CEO Archana Patnaik confirmed that postal ballots will be prioritized, with EVM counting commencing at 8:30 AM. To ensure accuracy, the first round of EVM results will only be finalized after the completion of postal ballot counting.
Dedicated sections and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) have been assigned to manage the massive influx of early votes. Significant participation was recorded through postal ballots, including 3.36 lakh election officials and 1.73 lakh elderly (85+) and differently-abled voters. Additionally, 18,000 service voters have already cast their votes, with their ballots accepted until the counting deadline. In total, 75,064 polling stations and 1.06 lakh EVMs were utilized for the April 23 polls to ensure a smooth democratic process.
In the 2021 elections DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance captured 159 seats. The DMK's individual tally of 133 constituencies granted the party absolute majority and M.K. Stalin was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
The people's mandate and the political direction that the state of Tamil Nadu is going to witness in the coming years will finally be known when the results are announced on May 4.
(With inputs from Agencies)