Election Commission to announce poll dates for four states including Assam today

The Election Commission of India is set to announce the schedule for the much-anticipated Legislative Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory later today, marking the formal start of the electoral process in a politically crucial year.

According to officials, the poll panel will unveil the election dates for the Assemblies of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry during a press conference scheduled in New Delhi at 4 pm, today, March 15.

The announcement will be made by the Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi.

Once the schedule is declared, the Model Code of Conduct will immediately come into force in all poll-bound states and the Union Territory, regulating the conduct of political parties, candidates and governments during the election period.

The Election Commission is expected to provide a detailed timeline covering the issuance of election notifications, the start and deadline for filing nominations, scrutiny of nominations, the last date for withdrawal of candidatures, polling dates and the schedule for counting of votes.

The electoral exercise assumes significance as the terms of the current legislative assemblies in the five regions are set to expire between May and June this year, necessitating fresh mandates.

Ahead of the announcement, the Commission has already completed a crucial preparatory step with the publication of the final electoral rolls for the four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The voter lists were updated following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), aimed at ensuring accuracy and inclusiveness in the electoral database.