Voting in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and April 29. In Tamil Nadu, voting will take place on April 23, while Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will vote on April 9.
New Delhi : The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the upcoming assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
According to the schedule, Tamil Nadu will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23, while West Bengal will vote in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Meanwhile, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry will hold single-phase voting on April 9. The results for all five assemblies will be declared on May 4. 🗳️
Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner, said that the elections across the five states and union territory involve about 174 million voters and 824 assembly seats.
He also highlighted that over the past 12 months, the Election Commission introduced several new initiatives to improve transparency in the electoral process. One of these initiatives is the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) to ensure that no ineligible person remains on the voter list. Another rule requires mobile phones to be kept outside polling stations, which voters can collect again after casting their votes.
With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in all five regions.
In the 2021 elections, the schedule was announced on February 26. At that time, West Bengal voted in eight phases, Assam in three phases, while Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry had single-phase polling. The terms of all five legislative assemblies are set to end in May.
Following the announcement of election dates, the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that the Constitution of India, Article 326, mandates the Election Commission to ensure that only eligible citizens are included in the voter list. Only voters who are 18 years or older and Indian citizens can cast their vote. With the Model Code of Conduct in force, no state can make new announcements.
The Election Commission will not tolerate any political violence. He clarified that the incidents reported so far occurred before the Code of Conduct came into effect, and action will be taken against violations from today onwards.
Addressing young and first-time voters, the Chief Election Commissioner said:
“I urge all young citizens and first-time voters to fulfill one of the most important responsibilities of your life — vote. Your vote is your choice and it will shape the future. In India, elections are a celebration of democracy.”
He also shared key details about the upcoming elections: there are 174 million voters across five states and a union territory, contesting 824 assembly seats. To put this in perspective, 174 million voters equal the total population of countries like Australia, France, South Africa, Germany, and Canada.
This year, election observers and guests from over 20 countries will visit India to monitor the polls.