The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for Assembly elections in five states and Union Territories — Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry — setting the stage for a crucial electoral contest across key regions of the country.
While polling in most of the poll-bound regions will take place in a single phase, elections in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases. In West Bengal, the election will be conducted in two phases — the first phase on April 23, 2026, and the second phase on April 29, 2026.
According to the schedule announced by the poll body, voting in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will take place on April 9, 2026. In Tamil Nadu, polling will be held on April 23, 2026. The counting of votes for all five elections will be held on May 4, 2026, the Commission said.
With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in all the poll-bound states and the Union Territory, placing restrictions on new policy announcements, government advertisements and transfers of officials until the completion of the electoral process.
The announcement was made at a press conference addressed by Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. Addressing the media, Kumar said that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had been conducted in accordance with Article 326 of the Constitution of India to ensure that electoral lists remain accurate and inclusive.
He emphasised that the objective of the exercise was to ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the electoral rolls and no ineligible voter is included. “Pure electoral rolls are the bedrock of democracy,” the Chief Election Commissioner said, stressing that maintaining accurate voter lists is essential for ensuring free and fair elections.
