Thiruvananthapuram, April 9 : Keralaâ??s high-stakes Assembly election gathered remarkable momentum on Thursday, with nearly 50 per cent of the stateâ??s 2.71 crore electorate having exercised their franchise by 1 p.m., raising expectations that the final turnout could challenge long-standing records.

With polling set to close at 6 p.m., all eyes are now on whether the state will breach the elusive 80 per cent mark and possibly inch closer to its historic high of 85 per cent recorded in 1960.

The steady stream of voters across urban and rural booths alike has injected fresh uncertainty into an already tightly contested election.

Officials led by Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Khelkar had set an ambitious target of 85 per cent turnout this time.

While that benchmark remains challenging, the brisk pace of voting has made crossing 80 per cent a realistic possibility, something Kerala has not achieved since 1987, when turnout last touched that level.

In recent electoral cycles, participation has remained robust but below the 80 per cent threshold.

The 2016 Assembly election, which brought Pinarayi Vijayan to power, recorded a turnout of around 77 per cent.

Five years later, when he secured a historic re-election, the figure dipped slightly to about 75 per cent.

This time, with a revised electoral roll placing the total voter base at 2.71 crore, the early surge has left political parties watching developments closely.

Higher turnout levels have traditionally produced unpredictable outcomes in Kerala, often reshaping electoral arithmetic in the final stretch.

Across constituencies, long queues and enthusiastic participation cutting across age groups and regions have become a defining feature of the day.

Polling officials attribute the strong response to heightened voter awareness, competitive campaigning, and a keen sense among the electorate about the stakes involved.

As the day progresses, the central question remains: Will the surge sustain through the afternoon and push Kerala into record territory, and more importantly, who stands to gain from a higher voter turnout?

/IANS