EC announces poll dates: Bengal on Apr 23 and 29; TN on Apr 23; Assam, Kerala, Puducherry on Apr 9

While Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will go to the polls in a single phase on April 9, Tamil Nadu will vote on April 23, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said at a press conference in New Delhi. West Bengal, known for political violence during polls and amid the row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, however, will hold elections in two phases—on April 23 and April 29.

Counting of votes will take place on May 4.

In West Bengal, polling will be held in 152 constituencies in the first phase and 142 constituencies in the second phase, covering all 294 Assembly seats in the state.

Across the four states and one Union Territory, around 17.4 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots for 824 Assembly constituencies.

The Election Commission said nearly 25 lakh personnel will be deployed to conduct the elections across about 2.18 lakh polling stations.

“No legitimate voter will be excluded,” Kumar said, adding that the Commission would also ensure that no ineligible voter is included in the rolls. 

With the announcement of the schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect. Political parties will now be barred from announcing new schemes or making promises aimed at influencing voters, while the Election Commission will oversee the administrative machinery during the poll period.

Except for West Bengal, elections in the other states and the Union Territory will be conducted in a single phase.