Assembly Elections 2026: EC likely to announce assembly polls schedule for five states | India News
New Delhi: The Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule for assembly elections in five states and union territories, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry at a press conference at 4.00 pm today, according to news agency ANI.The date coincides with the deadline for appeals against the final voter list in West Bengal, which was released on February 28 and lists 6.4 crore voters.The window to appeal against the final list has already closed in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. It has been indicated that the upcoming elections are likely to include fewer phases than in 2021, when West Bengal voted in eight phases, Assam in three and Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry in single phases.To conduct the elections in a short period of time, the EC is expected to significantly increase the deployment of central forces, especially in West Bengal. Reports suggest that the total strength of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) may exceed the 1,500 companies (around 1.4 lakh personnel) deployed for the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. About 500 companies (45,000 employees) are already forward deployed in West Bengal.Multi-phase polls are expected in West Bengal and Assam, while single-phase polls are likely in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. With the West Bengal Assembly term ending on May 7, polling in the state is likely to stretch from April to early May.The EC will also continue adjudicating cases of nearly 60 lakh ‘suspicious’ voters in West Bengal, which are handled by judicial officers appointed by the Calcutta High Court, with further appeals possible before the tribunal. Supplementary voter list incorporating approved cases will be published as directed by the Chief Justice of Calcutta High CourtMeanwhile, the EC has issued notification for the recruitment of Returning Officers for 294 constituencies in West Bengal after the consent of the state government to provide officers of requisite seniority. The Commission will closely monitor the deployment and randomization of CAPF and State Police personnel through Special Observers and CAPF Nodal Officers.
