PremiumThe Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry.
Voting for five assembly elections to these four states and one Union Territory will be held between 27 March and 29 April, the EC has said.
Counting for all the seats of five states will be held on 2 May, as per the schedule.
West Bengal will vote in eight phases. The first phase of polling will be on 27 March, the second phase on 1 April, the third phase on 6 April, the fourth on 10 April, the fifth on 17 April, the sixth on 22 April, the seventh on 26 April, and the eighth phase on 29 April, respectively.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala will vote in a single round on 6 April. Puducherry will also vote on the same day.
In Assam, the assembly elections will be conducted in three phases on 27 March, 1 April, and 6 April.
Election officials to be vaccinated: Poll Body
Poll officers will be vaccinated as frontline workers, the EC said on Friday, as it announced dates for assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry.
Addressing a press meet in Delhi, CEC Sunil Arora said that election officials are frontline workers and they will be vaccinated.
Voting time has been increased by 1 hour as elections will be held in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, he said. During the filing of nominations, only two people will be allowed to accompany the candidate, CEC Arora added.
Announcing the election schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said over 18 crore electors are eligible to vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 seats in these assembly polls.
Voting will be allowed for an additional hour, keeping in mind the coronavirus safety guidelines, the EC has said.
The model code of conduct is now in place in all the states. This is the first major set of elections to be held amid the coronavirus pandemic after the Bihar election.
West Bengal Assembly election schedule
Polling will be held for the 294-member West Bengal assembly in eight phases. Last time, the assembly polls were conducted in seven phases.
Phase 1 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Phase 2 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Phase 3 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Phase 4 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Phase 5 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Phase 6 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Phase 7 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Phase 8 of West Bengal assembly poll:
Assam Assembly election schedule
Election to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held in three phases this time.
Phase 1 of Assam assembly election:
Phase 2 of Assam assembly election:
Phase 3 of Assam assembly election:
Tamil Nadu Assembly election schedule
Election to the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly will be held in a single phase and votes will be counted on 2 May.
Election dates:
By-election to the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat will also be held on 6 April.
Kerala Assembly election schedule
Just like Tamil Nadu, elections to the 140-member Kerala assembly will also be held in a single phase this time and the votes will be counted on 2 May.
Election dates:
By-election to the Malappuram Lok Sabha seat will also be held on 6 April.
Puducherry Assembly election schedule
Polling for the 30-member Puducherry assembly will be held in one phase on 6 April and the results will be declared on 2 May.
Election dates:
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