Assembly poll dates for Bengal, Assam, TN, Kerala & Puducherry announced

New Delhi: As many as 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls in four states- Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry (Union Territory), said Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora on Friday.

Tamil Nadu assembly elections to be held in a single phase on April 6, Kerala also goes to polls on April 6; Assam assembly elections to be held in 3 phases- 1st phase of polling- March 27, second phase polling- April 1 and third phase of polling- April 6; Puducherry elections to be held on 6th April.

Counting of all votes will be held on May 2.

"Nearly 18.68 crore electors will vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 seats in four assembly elections," Sunil Arora said addressing media persons here today.

He also said the Bihar Assembly polls last year in November amid the COVID-19 pandemic was a watershed moment and proved to be a litmus test for the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Addressing mediapersons Arora said, "In the thick of the pandemic, ECI started test trials with elections of 18 seats to Rajya Sabha. After that, came the challenge of the Bihar elections, it was indeed a watershed moment for ECI. It proved to be a litmus test. Voting turnout was 57.34 per cent exceeding the 2015 Assembly polls and 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the state."

He applauded the frontline workers, healthcare workers and ECI officials for performing election duty during the COVID times last year.

All poll officials will be vaccinated against Covid-19 before elections," Arora said

"Our tributes to the COVID warriors, doctors, paramedics, nurses, researchers, scientists and all our officials on election duty who are located on the frontline," said Arora.

Emphasising on security issues, Arora said, "Adequate CAPFs deployment shall be ensured during elections. All critical, vulnerable polling stations have been identified and an adequate number of CAPFs will be deployed."

"A total of 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls during these elections. 18.68 crore electors will cast vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry," added Arora.

He also announced guidelines for the upcoming elections.

These include-- door-to-door campaigning to be restricted to five persons including the candidate, Polling officials to be vaccinated, separate norms for suspected COVID-19 patients.

The terms of the legislative assemblies of five states -- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry -- will come to an end either in May or in June this year.

Elections for the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal that comprises 294 seats will be held soon as the current tenure ends on May 30.