When Will Keralam Vote? Election Commission Announces April 9 Poll Date

The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The elections will take place in April, and the counting of votes for all states and the Union Territory will be held on May 4.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the elections will involve crores of voters and a large election workforce to ensure smooth and fair polling.

Polling Dates for the Five Assemblies

The Election Commission announced different polling dates for the states depending on the logistical requirements and the size of the electorate.
Polling Schedule:

• Assam: April 9
• Kerala: April 9
• Puducherry: April 9
• Tamil Nadu: April 23

West Bengal:

• Phase 1 - April 23
• Phase 2 - April 29

Counting of votes for all states and the UT will take place on May 4.

Over 17.4 Crore Voters to Participate

According to the Election Commission, around 17.4 crore voters are eligible to vote in these elections across 824 Assembly constituencies.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar shared details about the number of voters in each state:

• Assam: Around 2.25 crore voters
• Kerala: Around 2.7 crore voters
• Tamil Nadu: Around 5.67 crore voters
• West Bengal: Around 6.44 crore voters
• Puducherry: Around 9.44 lakh voters

He also noted that the final voter lists may include additional names after court-related updates or supplementary revisions.

More Than Two Lakh Polling Stations to Be Set Up

The Election Commission will set up around 2.18 lakh polling stations across the five regions.

Most of these polling stations will be located in rural areas to ensure that voters can easily access their nearest voting centres.

Officials said that each polling station will typically serve 750 to 850 voters, ensuring that crowding is minimised and the voting process runs smoothly.

To manage the elections, around 25 lakh election personnel will be deployed across the states and the Union Territory.

Special Facilities for Voters

The Election Commission has also planned several facilities to make voting easier and more inclusive.

These include:

• Model polling stations in every state and UT
• Women-managed polling stations run entirely by female staff
• Polling stations managed by Divyang (persons with disabilities) staff
• 100% webcasting at polling booths to ensure transparency

These steps are aimed at making the election process safe, transparent and accessible to all voters.

Participation of Elderly Voters

CEC Gyanesh Kumar also highlighted the presence of many elderly voters in the electoral rolls.

According to him, there are several centenarian voters (aged over 100 years) in states like Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry. In addition, a large number of voters are aged 85 years and above.

The Election Commission has planned special arrangements to help senior citizens vote comfortably.

Election Terms Ending Soon

The elections are being held because the terms of the current assemblies are ending in the coming months.

• Tamil Nadu Assembly term ends: May 10
• West Bengal Assembly term ends: May 7
• Assam Assembly term ends: May 20
• Kerala Assembly term ends: May 23
• Puducherry Assembly term ends: June 15

The newly elected governments will take charge after the results are declared.

Calling the elections a "festival of democracy," the Chief Election Commissioner said the Election Commission is committed to ensuring that the polls are free, fair and transparent.
With crores of voters and thousands of polling stations involved, the upcoming Assembly elections will be one of the largest democratic exercises in the country this year.