NEW DELHI/GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India on Thursday announced the schedule for assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry on Friday.
Announcing the dates at Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan, Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora said Assam will go to polls in three phases, starting on March 27.
The polls will take place on March 27, April 1 and April 6.
The counting will take place on May 2.
The EC said the Model Code of Conduct comes into force immediately after the announcement of the election dates.
Polls are being 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.
A total of 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls during these elections. 18.68 crore electors will cast votes at 2.7 lakh polling stations in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, said the CEC.
The terms of the legislative assemblies of five states -- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry -- will come to an end either in May or in June this year.
He added, "In the thick of the pandemic, the ECI started test trials with elections to 18 seats to Rajya Sabha."
After that, came the challenge of the Bihar elections, he said.
"It was indeed a watershed moment for ECI. It proved to be a litmus test," he said.
The voter turnout in 2020 Bihar elections exceeded both the 2015 & 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Women voters turned out in very large numbers, Arora said.
The Election Commission said that they have taken all measures keeping in mind the Corona protocol, adding, full management of the security forces has been done.