NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry, with polling set to begin from April 9.
According to the schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, polling in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be conducted in a single phase on April 9. Elections in Tamil Nadu will also be held in a single phase on April 23.
Meanwhile, voting in West Bengal will take place in two phases, with the first phase scheduled for April 23 and the second phase on April 29.
The Election Commission said that counting of votes for all four states and one union territory will take place on May 4.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, CEC Gyanesh Kumar described the elections as a “festival of pride” and urged citizens, especially first-time voters, to participate enthusiastically in the democratic process.
“My dear friends, you are about to step into one of the most important responsibilities of your life—exercising your democratic right, the right to vote. I urge you to participate enthusiastically in this great democratic exercise and cast your vote with pride, responsibility and confidence,” he said.
The commission said that a special intensive revision of voter lists has already been completed in the states and the union territory, with the final electoral rolls published.
The CEC, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, had earlier visited several poll-bound states, including West Bengal, to review preparedness for the elections.
The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has 294 seats, with the main contest expected between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In Assam, elections will be held for 126 Assembly seats, where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is expected to face a challenge from the Indian National Congress.
The main political contest in Kerala for its 140-member Assembly is likely to be between the ruling Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is also contesting the elections and is expected to field candidates in around 100 seats, while its allies Bharat Dharma Jana Sena and Twenty20 will contest the remaining seats.
In Tamil Nadu, polling will be held for 234 Assembly seats, with political parties intensifying campaign activities and finalising seat-sharing arrangements within their alliances.
The Union Territory of Puducherry will hold elections for 30 constituencies of its Legislative Assembly. The Congress is contesting the elections in alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Communist Party of India, while the opposition alliance includes the All India NR Congress, BJP and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
The Election Commission has also appointed Central Observers under the powers granted by Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1951 to assist in conducting free and fair elections and to oversee the management of the electoral process at the field level.
