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Assembly Polls in Five States Announced; Voting from April 9
Mar 16, 2026The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be held in a single phase on April 9. Polling in Tamil Nadu will take place on April 23.
In West Bengal, voting will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The first phase will cover 152 Assembly constituencies, while the remaining 142 constituencies will go to polls in the second phase.
Counting of votes for all four states and the Union Territory will be taken up on May 4. The notification for Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be issued today, while notifications for Tamil Nadu and the first phase of polls in West Bengal will be issued on March 30. The notification for the second phase of polling in West Bengal will be issued on April 2.
With the announcement of the poll schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in the states and the Union Territory.
Mr. Kumar said more than 17 crore voters are eligible to participate in the elections across 824 constituencies. This includes over six crore voters each in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, nearly three crore in Kerala, over two crore in Assam and more than nine lakh in Puducherry.
The Election Commission will set up more than two lakh polling stations and deploy nearly 25 lakh election officials. The Commission has also directed that assured minimum facilities such as drinking water, toilets and signage be provided at every polling station.
He added that the Commission has introduced 30 new initiatives to enhance transparency in the election process. A maximum of 1,200 electors will be allowed at each polling station, and 100 per cent webcasting will be ensured for round-the-clock monitoring.
The Chief Election Commissioner also appealed to youth and first-time voters to participate enthusiastically in the democratic process and cast their votes with pride and responsibility.
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