The Election Commission announced the dates for assembly elections in five states and union territories on Sunday. According to the election schedule, voting will take place in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry on April 9th, while Tamil Nadu will vote on April 23rd. Voting in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23rd and 29th. The election results for all states will be declared on May 4th.
Assam – Polling date – April 9, counting date – May 4
Tamil Nadu – Polling date – April 23, counting date – May 4
West Bengal – Polling date – April 23 (first phase), April 29 (second phase), counting date – May 4
Kerala – Polling date – April 9, counting date – May 4
Puducherry – Polling date – April 9, counting date – May 4
On Sunday, the Election Commission held a press conference to share important information regarding the upcoming assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Elections will be held in a single phase on April 9 in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.
Voting in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29. Voting in Tamil Nadu will be held in a single phase on April 23. The results of the elections in all these states and union territories will be announced on May 4th. The Model Code of Conduct came into effect immediately upon the announcement of elections in the five states and union territories.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that the Commission has visited all the election-bound states over the past few days to review preparations and interact with political parties, officials, and voters. The Chief Election Commissioner stated that the Election Commission team visited these states to review preparations for the assembly elections. During this period, it met with all political parties and sought their suggestions. Detailed discussions were also held with enforcement agency officials, district election officers, police officers, state election officers, and Directors General of Police.
He stated that the Commission also interacted with young voters and first-time voters. He also commended the work of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth election process.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar noted that these five states and union territories are geographically and culturally distinct from one another. To ensure fair and transparent elections, a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was conducted to ensure that no eligible voter is deprived of their right to vote and no ineligible person is included in the electoral roll.
He said, “A clean voter list is the soul of democracy. Therefore, we launched a special campaign to ensure that all eligible voters are included in the list.”
CEC makes a special appeal to the youth
The CEC made a special appeal to the youth, urging them to exercise their franchise with pride and responsibility. He said, “I want to tell the youth that you are now going to shoulder a very important responsibility: the right to vote. Use your vote with pride and responsibility. Your vote is your voice. The festival of elections is a matter of pride for all of us.”
According to the Election Commission, a total of 174 million voters will exercise their franchise in these five states and one union territory. This number is equal to the total population of many countries like Australia, France, South Africa, Germany, and Canada.
The CEC stated that voting will be held for 824 assembly seats. 2.19 lakh polling stations have been set up to conduct the election process. Additionally, approximately 2.5 million election officials and staff will be deployed to ensure a fair and smooth election.
The Commission has also made extensive preparations for security arrangements. According to the Chief Election Commissioner, approximately 8.50 lakh security personnel will be deployed during the elections to ensure a peaceful and safe voting environment.
The voter turnout by state was also shared. According to the Commission, West Bengal has a total of 6.44 crore voters, while Assam will have approximately 2.5 crore voters.
The CEC stated that special arrangements have been made during the elections. Pink booths will be set up at many locations, where all the arrangements will be handled by women personnel.
The Commission also clarified that voter turnout will be released immediately after voting. Mobile phones will not be allowed inside polling stations, and voters will be required to leave them outside the booth.