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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced polling dates for the states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry. While elections will take place in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in a single phase on April 6, they will take place in three phases in Assam, and eight phases in West Bengal.
By-elections in Mallapuram and for the vacant seat in Kanya Kumari will also be held on April 6. Additionally, April 6 will also see polling in 40 assembly constituencies in Assam and 31 in West Bengal, making it one of the busiest dates on the electoral calendar. Counting for all constituencies will be held on May 2, 2021.
The dates were announced by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora at a press conference. He was also accompanied by Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Sushil Chandra, along with other ECI officials. Here are the state-wise details.
Assam
There are 126 Assembly Seats in Assam out of which eight are reserved for candidates hailing from Scheduled Castes (SC) and 16 for Scheduled Tribes (ST). Elections will be held at a total of 33,530 polling stations across the state, in three phases:
Phase 1: 47 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 2, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 9, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 10, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 12, 2021
Polling date: March 27
Phase 2: 39 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 5, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 12, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 15, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 17, 2021
Polling date: April 1, 2021
Phase 3: 40 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 12, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 19, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 20, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 22, 2021
Polling date: April 6
West Bengal
There are 294 assembly seats here, out of which 68 are reserved for SC and 16 for ST candidates. There are a whopping 1,01,916 polling stations, and elections will be held in eight phases:
Phase 1: 30 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 2, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 9, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 10, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 12, 2021
Polling date: March 27, 2021
Phase 2: 30 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 5, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 12, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 15, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 17, 2021
Polling date: April 1, 2021
Phase 3: 31 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 12, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 19, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 20, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 22, 2021
Polling date: April 6, 2021
Phase 4: 44 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 16, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 23, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 24, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 26, 2021
Polling date: April 10, 2021
Phase 5: 45 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 23, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 30, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 31, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: April 3, 2021
Polling date: April 17, 2021
Phase 6: 43 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 26, 2021
Last date of nomination: April 3, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: April 5, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: April 7, 2021
Polling date: April 22, 2021
Phase 7: 36 assembly constituencies
Issue of notification: March 31, 2021
Last date of nomination: April 7, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: April 8, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: April 12, 2021
Polling date: April 26, 2021
Phase 8: 35 constituencies
Issue of notification: March 31, 2021
Last date of nomination: April 7, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: April 8, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: April 12, 2021
Polling date: April 29, 2021
Kerala:
There are 140 assembly seats here, out of which 14 are reserved for SC and two for ST candidates. Elections will be held in a single phase in this state, as follows:
Issue of notification: March 12, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 19, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 20, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 22, 2021
Polling date: April 6, 2021
Mallapuram by-elections will also take place simultaneously on April 6
Tamil Nadu
There are 234 assembly seats here, out of which 44 are reserved for SC and two for ST candidates. Elections will be held at 88,936 polling stations, in a single phase in this state, as follows:
Issue of notification: March 12, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 19, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 20, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 22, 2021
Polling date: April 6, 2021
Elections for the vacant seat at Kanya Kumari will also be held simultaneously on April 6, 2021.
Puducherry
There are 30 assembly seats here, out of which 5 are reserved for SC and none for ST candidates. Elections will be held at 1,559 polling stations, in a single phase in this union territory, as follows:
Issue of notification: March 12, 2021
Last date of nomination: March 19, 2021
Scrutiny of nominations: March 20, 2021
Last date of withdrawal of nomination: March 22, 2021
Polling date: April 6, 2021
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