Election Commission to announce poll schedule for 5 states today

The Election Commission of India will announce the schedule for Assembly elections in four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry later today, setting in motion the electoral process for five key regions.

The poll panel will share the dates for the upcoming elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry at a press conference in New Delhi at 4 pm.

Following the announcement, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will immediately come into force in all the poll-bound states and the Union Territory. The code lays down rules for political parties and governments during elections and restricts new policy announcements or use of official machinery for campaigning.

The elections will determine governments across five legislatures with a combined 824 seats. Voting will be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in Puducherry.

These elections are due as the five-year terms of the current assemblies are scheduled to end between May and June 2026.

The Election Commission has already held review meetings with state officials and security agencies to assess poll preparedness and ensure smooth conduct of the elections.

Political activity has been picking up across the poll-bound regions in recent weeks, with major parties stepping up campaign preparations, finalising alliances and shortlisting candidates ahead of the announcement of the schedule.

The Election Commission is expected to outline the phases of polling, nomination deadlines and the date for counting of votes, formally launching the election process across the five regions.