Voting in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry on April 9; Tamil Nadu and West Bengal to vote later, counting set for May 4
The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the schedule for the 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry, setting the stage for a high-stakes political contest across five regions. Counting of votes for all the assemblies will take place on May 4, 2026.
According to the poll schedule, elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be held in a single phase on April 9. The nomination process for these regions will begin with the issuance of the gazette notification on March 16, while the last date for filing nominations is March 23. Scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on March 24, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 26.
In Tamil Nadu, voting for all 234 assembly constituencies will take place in a single phase on April 23. The nomination process there will begin on March 30.
Meanwhile, the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly will vote in two phases. Polling for 152 constituencies will be held on April 23, while the remaining 142 seats will go to the polls on April 29.
Political parties have already intensified campaign efforts across these regions, with rallies, alliances and public outreach programmes gaining momentum since the start of the year. The elections are expected to shape the political landscape in several key states ahead of future national contests.
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