New Delhi, Mar 15 (TNT): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday evening announced the schedule for the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Puducherry.
According to the Commission, polling will be held for a total of 824 Assembly constituencies across the five states and the UT before the expiry of their respective terms.
Assam has 126 Assembly seats, including nine reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 19 for Scheduled Tribes (STs), while Kerala has 140 seats with 14 reserved for SCs and two for STs. Tamil Nadu has 234 constituencies with 44 reserved for SCs and two for STs, West Bengal has 294 seats including 68 reserved for SCs and 16 for STs, and Puducherry has 30 Assembly seats with five reserved for SCs.
As per the election schedule, the gazette notification for the polls will be issued on March 16 and the last date for filing nominations is March 23. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 24, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until March 26.
Polling in some states will be held on April 9 and April 23, while the counting of votes for all states will take place on May 4. The entire election process will be completed by May 6.
The Election Commission said it had reviewed the poll preparedness in all the states and held consultations with political parties, enforcement agencies and senior administrative officials to ensure free and fair elections.
The Commission also directed authorities to ensure adequate security arrangements, proper polling infrastructure and facilities for voters, including persons with disabilities and senior citizens, at polling stations.
TNT KS
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