Assembly elections 2026 highlights: Two-phase polling in West Bengal, single phase in T.N., Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, counting on May 4

The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) press briefing announcing the dates of State Assembly elections highlighted the voting-related challenges in Edamalakkudy, Idukki’s first tribal panchayat. During the briefing, the EC noted that residents of remote settlements in Edamalakkudy need to trek nearly 30 kilometres to cast their votes.

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Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Edamalakkudy in spotlight at Election Commission’s briefing

Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Edamalakkudy in spotlight at Election Commission’s briefing

Seemingly chary of being outpaced by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) at the hustings, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) appeared to scramble today to finalise seat-sharing. The ruling Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) attempt to steal a march on the UDF by announcing its candidates within hours of the proclamation of the Assembly elections in Kerala seemed to have given an added impetus to the Opposition to finalise nominees for the April 9 polls. 

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Kerala will hold polling in a single phase on April 9, 2026, with vote counting scheduled for May 4, 2026.

According to the ECI, Kerala has a total of 140 constituencies. Kerala, currently governed by the Left Democratic Front, is poised for a tightly contested election against the United Democratic Front, while the National Democratic Alliance aims to strengthen its hold in the State.

Check the full schedule below

Kerala Assembly elections 2026: full schedule

Kerala Assembly elections 2026 schedule announced: polling on April 9, vote counting on May 4, with 2.71 crore voters.

The Union Territory (UT) will hold elections in a single phase on April 9, 2026, with the vote counting scheduled on May 4, 2026.

The high-stakes electoral contest in 2026 is set to witness a tough contest between the ruling AINRC-BJP coalition and the opposing DMK-Congress alliance. With elections being held for 30 Assembly seats, five are reserved for Scheduled Castes.

Check the full schedule below

Puducherry Assembly elections 2026: full schedule

Puducherry Assembly elections 2026: key dates announced, including voting on April 9 and results counting on May 4.

Senior Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya today welcomed ECI’s decision to hold a two-phase election in West Bengal, but expressed concern over whether voters would be able to exercise their franchise freely and without intimidation.

The former West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee chief also said he had raised the issue of voter intimidation during his interaction with the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) during its recent visit to the State.

“I welcome the Election Commission’s move to hold the polls in West Bengal in two phases. But my only concern is that the electors can cast their votes freely and without any fear,” Mr. Bhattacharya said.

-PTI

Unwilling to grant too much importance to the dual-phase polls announced for West Bengal by the Election Commission, the Trinamool Congress on Sunday alleged that the poll body fixed the number of phases based on “requirements of its political masters”.

The party questioned the commission’s “duality” on conducting eight-phase elections in 2021 during a period of high Covid infections while settling for two-phase polls this time around.

“The number of phases is solely a reflection of what the BJP wants and the Election Commission has only adhered to the requirement of its political masters,” TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said.

“Else, how can one justify conducting eight-phase polls in the state in 2021 when people were dying of Covid infections and deciding to hold the polls in two phases now when there is no such bug. The number of polls doesn’t matter; people will demolish the BJP irrespective of that,” Mr. Chakraborty added.

-PTI

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar today ducked questions on the Opposition’s notice to move a motion in Parliament for his removal from the post.

At a press conference held to announce Assembly election schedules in four States and a Union Territory, Mr. Kumar did not answer questions on the Opposition notice.

While the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) can be removed only by Parliament, Election Commissioners can be removed through a recommendation by the CEC to the President.

In a first, the Opposition has submitted notices in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha seeking to move a motion to remove Mr. Kumar from the post, alleging a partisan attitude.

-PTI

The bypolls to Davangere South and Bagalkot Assembly constituencies necessitated by the demise of former Ministers Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H.Y. Meti, respectively, will be held on April 9, 2026, the Election Commission of India announced.

Both the seats had been held by the ruling Congress.

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Bypolls to Davangere South and Bagalkot to be held on April 9; counting on May 4

Bypolls for Davangere South and Bagalkot on April 9; counting on May 4 amid tough competition for candidates.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday (March 15, 2026) announced the complete schedule for Assam Assembly elections. The State will conduct polls in a single phase on April 9, 2026, with vote counting scheduled for May 4, ECI noted.

As many as 31,486 polling stations in the north-eastern State have been set up for the conduct of the Assembly polls. Of the 126 Assembly seats, nine have been reserved for Schedule Castes and 19 for Scheduled Tribes. Around 2.50 crore electors are set to cast their franchise in the 2026 assembly polls, said the notification.

Assam Assembly elections 2026: full schedule

Assam Assembly elections 2026: Polling on April 9, vote counting on May 4; complete schedule announced by ECI.

Hailing the Election Commission of India’s decision to hold a two-phase poll in West Bengal in two phases, the state BJP said people will vote decisively to end the “maha jungle raj” under the ruling TMC, while the ruling party asserted that the election outcome would again favour them.

In a post on X, BJP West Bengal said voters will cast their ballots in two phases on April 23 and April 29.

“This is not merely an election, it is a civilisational battle. The countdown to the end of Maha Jungle Raj has begun,” it added.

Referring to the counting date of May 4, the BJP said, “Fifty days to go -- May 4 will mark a new dawn for Bengal.” Responding to the poll announcement, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said the people of the state are firmly behind the ruling party.

“People of Bengal are with TMC. This was again shown in the massive turnout of youth in Yuva Sathi camps held by the Mamata Banerjee government,” he added.

-PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party today announced its first list of 14 candidates, including its state vice-president Anurupa Dekaraja, for the Assam assembly elections to be held on April 9.

All the constituencies included on the list are located in the Brahmaputra valley.

Dekaraja will contest from the Guwahati Central seat and Renuka Timungpi from Bokajan.

Among other candidates named on the list, issued by AAP state prabhari Rajesh Sarma, are Achyut Das (Naoboicha), Tapan Gogoi (Sivasagar), Zahidul Islam Khan (Chenga), Ranjeet Boro (Nadua), Pallav Saikia (Titabor) and Jinna Amir Hussain (East Goalpara).

-PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party today announced its first list of 14 candidates, including its state vice-president Anurupa Dekaraja, for the Assam assembly elections to be held on April 9.

All the constituencies included on the list are located in the Brahmaputra valley.

Dekaraja will contest from the Guwahati Central seat, and Renuka Timungpi from Bokajan.

Among other candidates named on the list, issued by AAP state prabhari Rajesh Sarma, are Achyut Das (Naoboicha), Tapan Gogoi (Sivasagar), Zahidul Islam Khan (Chenga), Ranjeet Boro (Nadua), Pallav Saikia (Titabor) and Jinna Amir Hussain (East Goalpara).

The AAP, which is yet to open its account in the Assam assembly, will be contesting the polls here without an alliance with any other opposition party.

-PTI

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and 10 of his cabinet colleagues will contest in the April 9 state assembly election, the ruling CPI(M) said today.

While Mr. Vijayan will seek his mandate from his sitting seat, the Dharmadom Assembly segment in northern Kannur district, senior leader and former Health Minister K.K. Shailaja will try her luck from Peravoor constituency in Kannur.

CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan released the list of 81 candidates, including six party-backed independents, during a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.

The CPI(M)-led LDF is eyeing a third consecutive term this time.

-PTI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced the schedule for the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal.

Voting will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29, 2026, with the counting of votes to be held on May 4.

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West Bengal Assembly elections 2026: full schedule

Discover the full schedule and key dates for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, including polling phases and results.

The Election Commission today announced that the bye-elections for the vacant Davanagere South and Bagalkote assembly constituencies in Karnataka will be held on April 9.

According to the official schedule, the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar released the poll schedule in New Delhi.

The bypolls were necessitated following the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H.Y. Meti, which resulted in vacancies in the Davanagere South and Bagalkote Assembly segments, respectively.

-PTI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on today announced the complete schedule for the 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. The polling is to be held on April 23, 2026, and the counting is on May 4, 2026.

The total number of electors in Tamil Nadu, according to the electoral rolls, is 5.67 crore. Of the 234 Assembly seats, 44 have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 for Scheduled Tribes, it noted.

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Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026: full schedule

Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2026: Full schedule, including key dates and voter statistics, announced by the Election Commission.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar hailed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a “massive democratic exercise” and said that “pure electoral rolls” are the “bedrock of any democracy”.

The poll body announced the schedule for the 2026 Assembly elections for Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Puducherry on Sunday. Barring West Bengal, all others vote in one phase.

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Pure electoral rolls bedrock of democracy, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar emphasizes the importance of pure electoral rolls as foundational to democracy amid West Bengal's electoral controversy.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar says it will not be right for him to comment on litigations regarding the voters list in West Bengal. He says elections will happen according to the laws and the MCC has just come into effect.

To a question on “misinformation and deepfakes”, he says State nodal officers will continue to monitor and take them down and file FIR against them, he says.

To a question regarding the statement by some political parties and leaders against the SIR process, CEC Gyanesh Kumar says that the ECI is bound by the Article 326 of the Constitution to add eligible voters to the electoral roll and remove who are ineligible. “With regards to the political statements. by certain political leaders or political parties, the Commission doesn’t wishes itself to engage in such dialogues,” he says.

To another question regarding sops announced by certain State governments announcing schemes just before the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into force, he says: “... in a democratic setup, the State and central governments, in their own wisdom, can take any policy or any other decision which they feel is appropriate, but once the Model Code of Conduct comes into operation, any decision which affects the outcome of the election or works in a way of inducement is not allowed and the Model Code of Conduct has come into force just now.”

Phase-1:

Date of Notification of polls: March 30, 2026

Last date for nominations: April 6, 2026

Scrutiny of nominations: April 7, 2026

Last date for withdrawal: April 9, 2026

Date of voting: April 23, 2026

Counting of votes: May 4, 2026

Phase-2:

Date of Notification of polls: April 2, 2026

Last date for nominations: April 9, 2026

Scrutiny of nominations: April 10, 2026

Last date for withdrawal: April 13, 2026

Date of voting: April 29, 2026

Counting of votes: May 4, 2026

Date of Notification of polls: March 30, 2026

Last date for nominations: April 6, 2026

Scrutiny of nominations: April 7, 2026

Last date for withdrawal: April 9, 2026

Date of voting: April 23, 2026

Counting of votes: May 4, 2026

Date of Notification of polls: March 16, 2026

Last date for nominations: March 23, 2026

Scrutiny of nominations: March 24, 2026

Last date for withdrawal: March 26, 2026

Date of voting: April 9, 2026

Counting of votes: May 4, 2026

Date of Notification of polls: March 16, 2026

Last date for nominations: March 23, 2026

Scrutiny of nominations: March 24, 2026

Last date for withdrawal: March 26, 2026

Date of voting: April 9, 2026

Counting of votes: May 4, 2026

Date of Notification of polls: March 16, 2026

Last date for nominations: March 23, 2026

Scrutiny of nominations: March 24, 2026

Last date for withdrawal: March 26, 2026

Date of voting: April 9, 2026

Counting of votes: May 4, 2026

“There shall be 100% webcasting to ensure transparency in each and every polling station. The Presiding Officers of every polling station shall input the number of votes cast after every two hours to ensure that voting percentages that are being relayed through the media to the public at large is by and large accurate,” the CEC says.

Mr. Kumar says all services offered by the various applications of the ECI is now available under the ECINET app. “All the necessary information (from) across all the necessary stakeholders is available,” he says about the application.

SIR is the first measure among more than 30 measures taken by the ECI in the last 12 months to enhance transparency and enhancing electors’ experience, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Depositing mobiles outside poll booths, coloured photograph of candidates on EVMs, maximum of 1,200 electors in any polling stations, candidate booths to be set up just outside 100m of the polling station, and a clear number mentioning the voter’s polling station, are among the other major initiatives.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar says around 17.4 crore electors to participate in this election. This comprises the continent of Australia, France, South Africa, Germany and Canada, he says. Delegates from the Election Commissions of 20 countries will visit the elections, he adds.

The Election Commission of India begins its press conference. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar addresses the media.

“Pure electoral rolls are the bedrock of any democracy. With this objective the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is being conducted as per Article 326 of the Constitution to ensure that no eligible elector is left out while no ineligible person is included in the electoral roll. I congratulate all the Booth Level Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, Electoral Registration Officers, District Election Officers and all election officials who were involved in this work for ensuring its smooth conduct and completion. It has been a massive democratic exercise,” Mr. Kumar says.

The INDIA bloc MPs on Friday (March 13, 2026) submitted a notice in both the Houses of Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

This is the first time such a notice has been formally submitted in Parliament. In the past, the Opposition had considered similar moves against at least two former CECs, but those efforts never progressed.

The rules require at least 50 MPs to sign the notice if it is moved in the Rajya Sabha and 100 if moved in the Lok Sabha. The Oppisition’s notice exceeds these requirements, with 130 signatures in the Lok Sabha and 63 in the Rajya Sabha.

Here is a recap of the ECI’s visit to the poll-bound States and the Union Territory of Puducherry to assess the ground situation, before announcing the polls. Click on the names to read more:

• Assam
• Kerala
• Tamil Nadu
• West Bengal
• Puducherry