Election Dates 2026 Announcement Highlights: 'EC adhered requirement of its political masters,' TMC questions 2-phase polling in Bengal

West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry Assembly Election 2026 Dates: The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for assembly elections in four states and a Union Territory, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry today. West Bengal will vote in two phases starting April 23, while Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will go to the polls on April 9, and Tamil Nadu on April 23; results for all will be declared on May 4.The poll body convened a press conference at 4pm where official dates and phases of polling were shared.The announcement comes after special intensive revisions of voters’ lists in these states and the UT, with final electoral rolls already published. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, had earlier this month visited West Bengal and the other poll-bound states to review preparedness and ensure smooth conduct of elections.In 2021, West Bengal voted across eight phases and Assam in three.To manage security, a large deployment of central armed police forces (CAPFs) is anticipated, with over 1,500 companies (around 1.4 lakh personnel) potentially mobilised, surpassing the 2024 Jammu & Kashmir polls.The elections are expected to be highly competitive. In West Bengal, the contest is primarily between Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP for 294 seats. Assam will see a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA and the Congress for 126 assembly seats. In Kerala, the main battle is between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) for 140 seats, while the BJP-led NDA is also contesting around 100 seats, with allies BDJS and Twenty20 contesting the remaining 40 seats.In Tamil Nadu, political parties are intensifying campaigns and finalising seat-sharing for 234 assembly seats, while in Puducherry, all 30 constituencies will go to polls. The Congress is contesting in alliance with DMK and CPI, facing opposition from AIADMK, BJP, and All India NR Congress.To ensure a free and fair election, the ECI has appointed Central Observers under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. These observers oversee electoral management at the field level and monitor the conduct of polling.The EC will continue adjudicating around 60 lakh doubtful voter cases in West Bengal, with supplementary voter lists to be published after judicial approval. Returning officers for all 294 West Bengal constituencies have been appointed.