The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, setting the stage for one of the biggest electoral exercises in the country in 2026.
The poll schedule was unveiled during a press conference by Gyanesh Kumar, who was joined by Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
According to the announcement, vote counting for all five assemblies will take place on May 4, 2026, after polling is completed across the states in April.
Polling Dates for Each State
The Election Commission outlined different voting schedules for the five states and union territory:
- Assam will vote in a single phase on April 9, covering all 126 constituencies.
- Kerala will also hold elections for its 140 Assembly seats on April 9.
- Puducherry will go to the polls the same day along with Kerala.
- Tamil Nadu will conduct polling for all 234 constituencies on April 23 in a single phase.
- West Bengal will vote in two phases — 152 constituencies on April 23 and 142 constituencies on April 29.
The Election Commission confirmed that counting of votes for all 824 constituencies across the five assemblies will be held simultaneously on May 4, 2026.
Over 17 Crore Voters to Participate
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the elections will involve a massive voter base across the country.
According to the Commission, around 17.4 crore voters are eligible to participate in the elections across the five states and union territory.
To facilitate the voting process, the Election Commission will set up approximately 2.19 lakh polling stations across the regions. Nearly 25 lakh election personnel will be deployed to conduct the elections smoothly.
Officials said elaborate security and logistical arrangements are being planned to ensure peaceful polling.
Electoral Rolls Key to Democracy
During the press briefing, CEC Gyanesh Kumar stressed the importance of maintaining accurate voter lists.
He said clean and updated electoral rolls form the foundation of a strong democracy. According to him, the recent special revision exercise carried out by the Election Commission ensured that all eligible voters are included in the list while preventing the inclusion of ineligible entries.
The Commission said the revision process helped improve the integrity of the electoral rolls ahead of the major state elections.
With the schedule now announced, political parties are expected to intensify their campaign efforts, making the coming weeks crucial for alliances, candidate selection and voter outreach across the five states.
