West Bengal Elections In 8 Phases, Assam 3; Single-Phase Polls In TN, Kerala, Puducherry

New Delhi: The West Bengal state assembly elections will be held in as many as 8 phases, starting on March 27 and ending on April 29.

Polls in Assam will be in three phases, while elections to the Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry assemblies will be conducted in a single phase.

Counting of votes for elections to the four states and one union territory will be taken up together — on May 2, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora announced at a press conference in New Delhi on Friday.

Before announcing the dates, the CEC said that the vaccination drive in India has made the pandemic situation more conducive for elections.

“Everyone on poll duty has been declared frontline worker for vaccine purpose,” said Arora, adding all polling officials and other staff associated with the conduct of elections will be vaccinated for COVID-19 before they join election duty.

The CEC also announced that door-to-door campaigning in these elections will be restricted to five persons including the candidate and roadshows can be held.

STATEWISE DATES

West Bengal: Polling in 8 phases — March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26, April 29; Counting of votes May 2

Assam: Polling in 3 phases – March 27, April 1, April 6; Counting May 2

Tamil Nadu: Polling in single phase – April 6; Counting May 2

Kerala: Polling in single phase – April 6; Counting May 2

Puducherry: Polling in single phase – April 6; Counting May 2