The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the Assembly polls in four states: Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The announcement comes after the poll body met earlier this week, on March 11, to finalise the election schedule.
The elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be conducted on 9 April, 2026.
The elections in West Bengal will conducted in two phases with elections on 23 and 29 April, 2026.
The election in Tamil Nadu will also be conducted on 23 April, 2026.
The results for all five elections will be announced on 4 May, 2026.
The model code of conduct has now come into force after the announcement of the dates and no political party can now make any announcement to woo voters.
The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states are ending in May and June. The commission is required to conduct the elections before that.
Tamil Nadu's current state Assembly and government will end on May 10. The tenure of the West Bengal Assembly ends on May 7, Assam on May 20 and Kerala on May 23. Puducherry's Assembly tenure ends on June 15.
Tamil Nadu consists of 234 constituencies, while Kerala has 140, Assam 126 and Puducherry with 30.
The first phase of elections in West Bengal will be for 152 seats and the second phase will consist of 142 seats.
Chief Election Commisioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the poll body found it necessary to reduce the number of phases for the West bengal elections and bring it down to an extent where it was convenient for everybody. West Bengal's elections used to be conducted in as many as eight phases.
The Special Intensive Revision of voter lists have also been completed in the states and the final electoral rolls have been published.
In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress is eyeing an fourth consecutive term. Opposition BJP meanwhile has been going all out to turn the tables. The SIR in the state had also become the subject of huge controversy reaching the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile in Tamil Nadu the DMK is eying a second term after flipping the tables in 2021 by winnning 133 out of the 234 seats. The elections this year would see a four way contest with the DMK alliance, the AIADMK-led alliance and actor-politicians Vijay's TVK and the NTK.
In Kerala, the Left has been in power for two consecutive terms, which is rare for a state that has changed its ruling party every election. The Congress is now eyeing to take back the state, after its victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is meanwhile trying to stay for a second term while the Congress led oppositions is attempting to make a comeback after a decade.
In Puducherry the All India NR Congress has been in power for two term and is eyeing a third while the opposition DMK is seeking a change.
Eight by-elections will also be held alongside the Assembly polls in Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura.
