BeyondHeadlines News Desk
New Delhi: The Election Commission announced on March 1 that assembly elections in West Bengal Tamil Nadu, Assam, Puducherry and Kerala would be held from April 4 to May 10. The counting will be conducted uniformly on May 13, the commission informed.
Keeping the law-and-order situation and and considering the disturbed areas in the state, the commission has decided to hold elections in West Bengal in six phases from April 18, 23, 27, May 3, 7 and 10. Assam will hold the elections in two phases from April 4 and 11 while elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will be held on April 13. Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi said that the model code of conduct had come into effect and was applicable to the central government with respect to those states/union territory (UT) going to the poll, the state/UT governments concerned, the political parties and the candidates.
The commission said that for the first time, non-resident Indians, who had already got themselves registered themselves as voters, were eligible to vote and that polling officials had been instructed and informed in this regard.
There a total of 40 seats Kerala, 234 in Tamil Nadu and 30 seats in Puducherry. The poll notification will be issued on March 19. March 26 is the last date of filing nominations. On March 28, the papers will be scrutinized, and March 30 is the last date of withdrawal of candidature.
For the 294-member West Bengal Assembly, the notification for the first phase will be issued on March 23; for the second phase on March 30; the third phase, April 2; the fourth phase, April 7; the fifth phase on April 11; and for the last and sixth phase, the notification will be issued on April 14. For 126-member Assembly in Assam, the notification for the first phase will be on March 10 and for the second phase on March 18.
