Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: In a bid to enhance voter turnout for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, Uber India has partnered with the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to provide free transport services on polling day, April 9. The initiative specifically targets the Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts to bridge transportation gaps and facilitate easier access to the ballot box.

According to the CEO's office, voters can book free rides across Uber’s Car, Auto and Bike categories. To streamline the process, the locations of all polling stations have been integrated into the Uber app.

Under this scheme, trips up to 2 kilometres are entirely free; for longer distances, passengers will only be charged the standard Uber fare for the additional mileage beyond the initial two kilometres.

Election context

The Election Commission of India (ECI) previously scheduled the 2026 Kerala legislative assembly elections for a single phase on April 9, with the counting of votes set for May 4. The current assembly's term expires on May 23.

The political stakes are high as the BJP-led NDA and Congress-headed UDF seek to challenge the decade-long dominance of the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF). Led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the LDF made history in 2021 by becoming the first ruling alliance since 1977 to secure consecutive terms.

2021 Election breakdown

In the previous 2021 polls:

LDF: Secured 99 seats with a 41.5% vote share.

UDF: Won 41 seats with a 38.4% vote share.

NDA: Captured 11.4% of the vote but failed to secure a seat in the 140-member Niyamasabha.

Individually, the CPM remained the largest party with 62 seats, followed by the Indian National Congress (INC) with 21 seats and the CPI with 17. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) maintained its influence within the UDF with 15 seats.