The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the 2026 Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Puducherry, with polling set to begin on April 9 and counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
Announcing the poll schedule at a press conference in New Delhi, Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner, said the elections will involve around 17.4 crore voters across 824 Assembly constituencies, making it one of the largest electoral exercises in the country.
According to the poll panel, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will go to polls in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will vote on April 23.
Polling in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases, with voting scheduled for April 23 and April 29, the Commission said.
The counting of votes for all four states and the Union Territory will take place on May 4.
Kumar described the upcoming polls as a major democratic exercise and said extensive arrangements have been put in place to ensure accessibility, transparency and smooth conduct of voting.
“The festival of elections, our pride, is going to be held in the state of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The total electors are 17.4 crores,” he said while outlining the scale of the electoral process.
The Election Commission said over 2.19 lakh polling stations will be set up across the poll-bound states and the Union Territory to facilitate voting. Officials noted that the majority of these booths will be located in rural areas.
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The Commission has planned several special arrangements to ensure inclusive participation in the electoral process. These include model polling stations, women-managed polling booths, and polling stations managed by persons with disabilities.
Kumar also announced that 100 per cent webcasting will be implemented at all polling stations, aimed at strengthening transparency and monitoring of the voting process.
Around 25 lakh personnel, including polling staff, administrative officials and security personnel, will be deployed to conduct the elections and ensure that voting takes place in a free and fair manner.
The Chief Election Commissioner also highlighted the diverse profile of voters expected to participate in the elections, noting the presence of a significant number of elderly electors.
“We have more than 100 years of age, centenarians in Assam, Kerala, even Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The 85-plus years of age electors are also in good number,” he said.
Kumar added that representatives from electoral commissions of more than 20 countries have been invited to observe the elections, which he described as a “festive, transparent and efficient” democratic process.
The terms of the legislative assemblies in these states and the Union Territory are scheduled to expire between May and June, prompting the Election Commission to announce the poll schedule.
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