The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for the upcoming assembly elections in four states and one union territory, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, and Puducherry. The polls will be conducted in multiple phases across these regions, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4, 2026.
Poll Schedule Across States
According to the schedule released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will be conducted in a single phase, with polling scheduled for April 9, 2026 (Thursday). The election process in these regions will begin with the issue of the Gazette notification on March 16, 2026, followed by the last date for filing nominations on March 23, 2026. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 24, 2026, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 26, 2026.
In Tamil Nadu, which has 234 Assembly constituencies, polling will be held on April 23, 2026 (Thursday). The election process will start with the Gazette notification on March 30, 2026, and the last date for filing nominations is April 6, 2026. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on April 7, 2026, while April 9, 2026, has been fixed as the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
Meanwhile, the assembly election in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases. The first phase of polling, covering 152 constituencies, will take place on April 23, 2026, while the second phase, covering 142 constituencies, will be held on April 29, 2026. For the first phase, the Gazette notification will be issued on March 30, 2026, and nominations must be filed by April 6, 2026. For the second phase, the notification will be issued on April 2, 2026, with the last date for filing nominations set for April 9, 2026.
Counting On
The counting of votes for all five states will take place on May 4, 2026 (Monday). According to the Election Commission’s schedule, the entire election process across the five regions will be completed by May 6, 2026 (Wednesday).
With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in the poll-bound states.
– Magizh
