NEW DELH: Voting for the 2026 assembly elections in Puducherry began at 7 am on Wednesday, with an unusual attraction at a polling booth in the VOC Government School where a robot named “Nila” welcomed voters arriving to cast their ballots.The robot is seen all decked up and holding a flower tray to welcome the voters showing up to cast their ballot.Around 9.5 lakh voters are eligible to decide the fate of 294 candidates across 30 constituencies in Puducherry and its enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Polling is being conducted across 1,099 stations, with 209 identified as vulnerable, officials said. Special arrangements include 30 all-women polling booths and 15 managed by young officers.The election sees a direct contest between the AINRC–BJP-led NDA headed by chief minister N Rangasamy and the Congress–DMK alliance. A key contest is in Thattanchavady, where Rangasamy is up against former chief minister V Vaithilingam.Key issues include the long-pending demand for statehood, unemployment and water contamination. The entry of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is also being seen as a factor that could influence outcomes. Counting is scheduled for May 4.