Assembly Elections 2026: Poll Dates Announced for 4 States and UT
Assembly Elections 2026 schedule has been announced by the Election Commission for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry; Counting on May 4.
Assembly Elections 2026: Election Commission Announces Poll Schedule
The Assembly Elections 2026 process formally began after the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the elections to the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry. The announcement was made on Sunday, March 15, 2026. Under the plan released by the Commission, West Bengal will vote in two phases, while Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will go to the polls in a single phase.
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According to the Assembly Elections 2026 schedule, Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry will vote on April 9, 2026. Tamil Nadu will hold its election on April 23, 2026. In West Bengal, the first phase of voting will take place on April 23, followed by the second phase on April 29. The counting of votes for all five assemblies will be conducted on May 4, 2026, marking the conclusion of the election process.
Assembly Elections 2026: Model Code of Conduct Comes Into Effect
With the announcement of the Assembly Elections 2026 schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect across the poll-bound states and the Union Territory. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had been conducted in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution, which governs elections based on adult suffrage. The objective, he said, was to ensure that eligible voters are included in the rolls while preventing the entry of ineligible names, describing accurate electoral rolls as essential to the integrity of the Assembly Elections 2026.
Alongside the Assembly Elections 2026 schedule, the ECI also announced by-elections to eight assembly constituencies across six states — Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura. Polling in the constituencies located in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura will take place on April 9, while Gujarat and Maharashtra will vote on April 23. The Commission said the counting of votes for these bypolls will also be held on May 4, the same day results of the Assembly Elections 2026 are scheduled to be declared.
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The announcement of the Assembly Elections 2026 also unfolded against a political backdrop involving the office of the Chief Election Commissioner. During the press conference, Gyanesh Kumar chose not to respond to questions related to an opposition initiative in Parliament seeking to move a motion for his removal.
Under constitutional provisions, a Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only through a parliamentary process, while other Election Commissioners may be removed based on a recommendation from the CEC to the President. Opposition parties have argued that certain recent decisions of the Commission, including those linked to the revision of electoral rolls, reflected bias.
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