The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the assembly elections that will be held in 4 states (Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala) and 1 Union territory (Puducherry). The terms of these states’ assemblies will come to an end in May and June. However, President’s Rule has been imposed in Puducherry after the V Narayanasamy-led Congress government failed to win the trust vote earlier this week.

Elections will be held in eight phases on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29 depending on the situations in respective states. Apart from these, the schedule has also been released for the Tirupati Lok Sabha in Andhra Pradesh and the Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency in Telangana. The election results will be announced on May 2.

Assam

Election to be held in three phases for 126 seats. The first phase of polling will be held on March 27 (47 assembly seats). Elections for the second and third phase on April 1 and 6. 33 thousand polling stations are set up for voting.

Tamil Nadu

Elections will be held in a single phase for 234 assembly seats. 89 thousand polling stations will be set up for polling on April 6.

Kerala

Polling for 140 seats will be conducted in a single phase on April 6. A total of 40,000 polling stations will be arranged for voting.

West Bengal

West Bengal is the largest assembly with 294 seats out of the 5 regions. Polling will be held in all eight phases on March 27, April 1, 6, 10, 17, 22, 26, 29. More than one lakh polling stations will be set up for the elections.

Puducherry

Polling will be held in a single phase in the 30-seat Union Territory of Puducherry. Polling will be held on April 6 and 1500 polling stations will be set up for voting.

After Bihar, this is the first major set of elections to be held in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Outgoing Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said that all extant guidelines for Covid-19 would be observed during the elections. The number of electors per booth will also be limited to 1,000. Covid-19 patients will continue to be allowed to cast their vote by postal ballot or vote in the last hour of the election.

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