New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the upcoming assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry.
On Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi announced the election schedule during a press conference.
Voting Schedule by State
- Assam – Voting: April 9 | Counting: May 4
- Kerala – Voting: April 9 | Counting: May 4
- Tamil Nadu – Voting: April 23 | Counting: May 4
- West Bengal – Voting: April 23 (Phase 1), April 29 (Phase 2) | Counting: May 4
- Puducherry – Voting: April 9 | Counting: May 4
The Chief Election Commissioner said that clear instructions have been given to all agencies to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections in these states and the union territory. Around 24 law enforcement agencies have been asked to strictly monitor inducements and violence during the elections.
He added that district collectors and police superintendents have been directed to work with complete impartiality. Strict monitoring will also be carried out to prevent fake news on social media.
New Initiatives for Transparency in Voting and Counting
The Election Commission has announced several new measures to make the election process more transparent:
- Voting percentage updates will be recorded every two hours.
- Postal ballots will be counted before the EVM votes.
- All data will be available on ECI-NET within 72 hours of counting.
- In case of any discrepancy, VVPAT slips will be counted.
New Facilities for Voters
The Commission has also introduced several arrangements to improve voter convenience:
- Mobile phone deposit facility outside polling stations.
- Colored photographs of candidates on EVMs.
- No polling station will have more than 1,200 voters.
- A unified mobile application, ECI-NET, for all election-related information.
174 Million Voters to Participate
According to the Election Commission, about 174 million voters will cast their votes across these five states and the union territory. Around 219,000 polling stations will be set up, and approximately 2.5 million personnel will be involved in the election process.
The Chief Election Commissioner appealed to young voters and first-time voters to participate enthusiastically in the democratic process.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress criticized the announcement of the election schedule. Party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh remarked that since 2014 the Model Code of Conduct has turned into “Modi’s campaign code,” alleging that it includes intimidation, abusive language, and the spread of misinformation.
