Out of the 9,41,398 voters, a total of 7,91,511 exercised their franchise in the polling held to the 30-member assembly yesterday, Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer V Candavelou told reporters here today.
The 2011 Assembly polls registered 86.19 per cent polling, he said adding a survey would be conducted shortly to identify the reason for the decline.
Women voters constituted53.52 per cent of total voters who exercised their franchise while men voters accounted for 46.48 per cent of the votes polled in the elections, hotly contested by ruling AINRC, Congress-DMK combine, AIADMK, People's Welfare Alliance and BJP.
He said out of35,812 first time voters, only 24,923 voters exercised their franchise yesterday.
As many as 11,236 of the total 15,636 voters with physical disability exercised their franchise and student volunteers helped them reach the booths and to return homes.
Giving details of region wise polling, the CEO said Puducherry with 23 seats recorded 84.6 per cent, Karaikal (five) recorded 80.98 per cent, Mahe and Yanam with one seat each clocked a polling percentage of 77.16 per cent and 92.67 per cent.