New Delhi: Election Commission announced the schedule for holding General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu & West Bengal.

ECI said, ‘model Code of Conduct to come into force immediately after the announcement of the election dates.’

A total of 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls during these elections. 18.68 crore electors will cast vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, said CEC.

The polling time uniformly increased by 1 hour due to COVID-19.

Two person & two vehicle allowed for candidates for nomination filing, door-door 5 person allowed including the candidates, 5 vehicles batch convoy allowed in road shows.

Adequate CAPFs deployment shall be ensured during elections. All critical, vulnerable polling stations identified and an adequate number of CAPFs will be deployed, said Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner.

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Assembly Election Dates 2021 | FULL DETAILS HERE

West Bengal Election Dates 2021:

-Polls to be held for 294 seats

-West Bengal Assembly Elections to be held in 8-phase. 1st phase of polling on Mar 27, second phase of polling on Apr 1, third phase of polling on Apr 6, fourth phase of polling on Apr 10, fifth phase of polling on Apr 17, sixth phase polling on Apr 22, seventh phase-Apr 26, final phase polling-Apr 29

-Term till 30th May, 294 ACs

-Counting of votes on 2nd May.

Tamil Nadu Election Dates 2021:

-Date of issue of gazette notification: March 12

-Last date of nomination: March 19

-Scrutiny of nomination: March 20

-Last date of withdrawal of candidature: March 22

-Polls are to be held for 234 seats

-Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections to be held in a single phase on 6th April

-Term till 24th May, 234ACs

-Counting of votes on 2nd May.

Kerala Election Dates 2021:

-Date of issue of gazette notification: March 12

-Scrutiny of nomination: March 20

-Last date of withdrawal of candidature: March 22

-Polls are to be held for 140

-Kerala Assembly Elections  goes to polls on 6th April

-Term till 1st June,149 ACs

-Counting of votes on 2nd May.

Assam Election Dates 2021:

-Polls are to be held for 126 seats

– Assam Assembly Elections to be held in 3 phases- 1st phase of polling- 27th March, second phase polling-1st April and third phase of polling-6th April

-Counting 2nd May.

– Term of Assembly upto 31st May, 126(ACs)

Puducherry Election Dates 2021:

-Polls are to be held for 30 seats in the Union Territory

-Date of issue of gazette notification: March 12

-Last date of nomination: March 19

-Scrutiny of nomination: March 20

-Last date of withdrawal of candidature: March 22

-Puducherry elections to be held on 6th April

-Term 8th June, 30AVs

-Counting on 2nd May.

Covid-appropriate SOPs in place for Assembly Elections 2021

– Voting time will be extended by one hour, like in Bihar polls
– Door-to-door campaigning restricted to 5 people
– Roadshows allowed, subject to following Covid protocols

Here is what Chief Election Commissioner of India said before announcing the election date

Chief Election Commissioner of India, Sunil Arora paid his tributes to the COVID warriors- doctors, paramedics, nurses, researchers, scientists and to all officials on election duty who are located on the frontline.

He said, “In the thick of the pandemic, ECI started test trials with elections to 18 seats to Rajya Sabha. After that, came the challenge of the Bihar elections, it was indeed a watershed moment for ECI. It proved to be a litmus test.”

In Bihar elections, women voted in large numbers. The voter turnout was 59.69%”, said Sunil Arora.

“This period will be remembered as that of ordinary people doing extraordinary things”, Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner.

The announcement comes a day after the poll body held a meeting to finalise the election dates.