Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : After 23 days of high-voltage campaigning and an equally intense silent push, Kerala stepped into decision day on Thursday, with around 2.71 crore voters set to determine who will govern the state.

Even before dawn broke, the electoral machinery was in motion. By 5.30 a.m., the stateâ??s 30,471 polling booths had sprung to life, with officials initiating mandatory mock polling procedures.

Once completed and the EVMs sealed, a brief lull followed before the real momentum began.

By 6.30 a.m., queues had already started forming across the state.

In a telling snapshot from Thodupuzha, long lines dominated by elderly voters hinted at the deep civic engagement that has come to define Keralaâ??s electorate.

At Chooralmala in Wayanad, a region still scarred by the devastating landslide that claimed over 200 lives, the act of voting carried an emotional weight.

Some voters, visibly moved, recalled how family members who stood with them in 2021 were no longer around this time.

The polling, which began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 6 p.m., spans all 140 constituencies.

With each press of the voting machine, the state's political fate inches closer to clarity.

Notably, nearly two lakh voters have already exercised their franchise through home voting.

Despite the formal end of campaigning, the final hours saw candidates across all three fronts in a last-mile scramble meeting overlooked voters and key influencers to secure every possible vote, underscoring the unusually high stakes and palpable anticipation surrounding this election.

Superstar Mohanlal, a voter in the Nemom high-profile constituency in the state capital city, was spotted at the queue around 6.45 a.m. and beside him were rival candidates sitting member and State Education Minister V.Sivankutty and his Congress rival, K.S.Sabarinathan, who was seen exchanging pleasantries with him.

The third candidate is State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Other prominent figures were among early voters.

Union Minister Suresh Gopi joined the queue at a polling booth in Guruvayoor as early as 6.30 a.m., while Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan was seen voting alongside his family in Paravoor.

BJP candidate R. Sreelekha, contesting from Vattiyoorkavu, cast her vote early, citing a packed schedule across her 209 booths.

â??I am extremely confident of the outcome,â?? she said, reflecting the optimism candidates carried into polling day.

The scale of the exercise is formidable.

Auxiliary booths have been set up in select districts to manage crowds, while 352 all-women polling stations and 37 booths managed by persons with disabilities highlight inclusive electoral efforts.

Additionally, 884 model polling stations have been established.

Security remains tight, with over 76,000 police personnel deployed across the state, including Special Police Officers, central forces, and units from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Around 2,500 booths have been identified as sensitive, with prohibitory orders and enhanced surveillance in place.

As Kerala votes in what is widely seen as one of its most keenly watched elections in recent memory, the day unfolds not just as a democratic exercise,but as a vivid expression of public will.

/IANS