The Election Commission of India has declared the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in five regions: Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The polling for the Assembly elections is to be held in April 2026, and the counting of votes is to be completed on 4th May, 2026.
According to the Election Commission of India, the polling for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry will be held on 9th April, 2026. In Tamil Nadu, polling will take place on 23rd April, 2026. Meanwhile, West Bengal will be held in two phases on 23rd April and 29th April, 2026. The results for all five assemblies will be declared together on 4th May, 2026.
These elections are being conducted at a time when the existing legislative assemblies in these states and the Union Territory are about to complete their five-year term. The Election Commission has reviewed the preparedness of the election machinery, law and order arrangements, and deployment of security forces before announcing the election schedule.
The authorities have also started preparations for voter awareness, distribution of voter information slips and arrangements at polling stations to ensure smooth voting. The Model Code of Conduct has come into effect in all the poll-bound states and Puducherry, following the announcement of the election schedule.
By-poll schedule for 8 assembly seats
Along with the general elections, the Election Commission has also announced bye-elections for eight assembly constituencies across six states: Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura. The seats were vacated by the MLAs who died.
The constituencies include Ponda (Goa), Umreth (Gujarat), Bagalkot and Davanagere South (Karnataka), Rahuri and Baramati (Maharashtra), Koridang (Nagaland), and Dharmanagar (Tripura).
Polling for the bye-elections in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura will take place on 9th April, 2026, while the seats in Gujarat and Maharashtra will go to polls on 23rd April, 2026. The counting of votes for all these bypolls will also be held on 4th May, 2026, the same day as the assembly election results.
The Election Commission said EVMs and VVPAT machines will be used in all polling stations to ensure smooth and transparent voting.