5 states assembly election dates announced; poll results to be declared on May 19

Bengaluru, March 4: The Election Commission of India on Friday, March 4 announced the dates for five states--Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry, that will go to assembly polls in April and May.

Assam will have six phase polls, Assam will have two phase polls while Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will have single phase polls. Here is the list of important dates:

ASSAM

Assam will go to assembly polls in two phases.

1st phase polls will include 65 constituencies on April 4, Monday.

2nd phase will include 61 constituencies on April 11, Monday.

WEST BENGAL

Assembly Elections will be covered under 6 phases in West Bengal.

1st phase polling on 2 dates:

18 constituencies on April 4, Monday

31 constituencies on April 11, Monday

2nd phase: 56 constituencies on April 17, Sunday

3rd phase: 62 constituencies on April 21, Thursday

4th phase: 49 constituencies on April 25, Monday

5th phase: 53 constituencies on April 30, Saturday

6th phase: 25 constituencies, May 5, Thursday

KERALA

140-assembly seats of Kerala will go to polls in single phase on May 16, Monday.

TAMIL NADU

234-assembly seats of Tamil Nadu will go to polls in single phase on May 16, Monday.

PUDUCHERRY

All 30 constituencies of the Union Territory Puducherry will go to polls on May 16, Monday.

RESULT DATE: Counting of votes will take place on May 19, Thursday.

Here is the total electorate in each state:

Assam-- 1.98 crore
Kerala--2.56 crore
Tamil Nadu-- 5.8 crore
West Bengal-- 6.55 crore
Puducherrry--9.27 lakh

Total number of polling booths in each state:

Assam-- 25,000
Kerala--21,498
Tamil Nadu-- 65,616
West Bengal-- 77,247
Puducherrry--913

Here is what Naseem Zaidi, the Chief Election Commissioner announced in a press conference:

"ECI is committed to strict enforcement of Model Code of Conduct by all stakeholders for fair and free elections", Naseem Zaidi, the Chief Election Commissioner announced in a press conference.

"Around 17 crore voters will cast their vote in assembly elections in these five states", Zaidi informed.

"A symbol for NOTA has now been introduced for the first time in all poll-bound states", he said.

To reduce confusion among name-sake candidates, photographs of all candidates will be present on the EVMs to eliminate confusion for voters.

"All women polling stations will be set up in five states", he said, while adding, "Commission has decided that separate polling stations will be set up at leprosy centres & visually impaired schools."

"In a first, Tamil Nadu will get to see all-women polling stations", he added.

"An effective monitoring of preventive actions against anti social elements commences from today, Zaidi said.

More than 18,000 VVPATs in 64 assembly constituencies will be used in the upcoming state polls.

Zaidi also appealed to people to check their names in electoral roll and enroll themselves as voters if not already done.

More than adequate central paramilitary forces to be deployed, while adding "As far as possible, in WB & Assam, all polling locations to be monitored by Central Police Forces".

The term of the Tamil Nadu assembly ends on May 23 and Assam's assembly term ends on June 6.

In Trinamool Congress-ruled West Bengal, there will be total 77,246 polling booths, out of which 23,809 have been identified as 'sensitive' and 8,172 as 'highly sensitive'.

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