TN, Kerala, Puducherry go to polls on April 6, Assam on and Bengal from March 27

Assembly Election Dates 2021: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Trinamool Congress (TMC) are among the major political parties which will contest these elections in these four states and the Union territory.

The Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule for the assembly elections that will be held for 126 constituencies in Assam, 140 in Kerala, 234 in Tamil Nadu, 294 in West Bengal and 30 in Puducherry as the terms of their assemblies are set to come to an end in May and June. However, President's Rule has been imposed in Puducherry and the assembly kept under suspended animation after the V Narayanasamy-led Congress government failed to win the trust vote earlier this week.

These will be the first set of assembly elections to be held in the country since those in Bihar in October-November last year and the second state polls amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.(PTI/ File photo)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Trinamool Congress (TMC) are among the major political parties which will contest these elections in these four states and the Union territory. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK and the BJP have joined hands and the opposition DMK will fight the assembly election with the Congress once again. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the BJP will be fighting it out in West Bengal as the ruling party will look to retain the state with the central party confident of snatching away power.

Kerala will see the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is led by the Communist Party of India(Marxist) or CPI(M), cross paths with the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress These coalitions have held power in the southern state alternately over the last four decades. The LDF had won the 2016 Kerala assembly election as it won 91 out of 140 seats. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has an incumbent government in Assam with the party’s Sarbananda Sonowal as the chief minister. In the last assembly polls in 2016, the BJP formed its maiden government in the northeastern state after defeating the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

These will be the first set of assembly elections to be held in the country since those in Bihar in October-November last year and the second state polls amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Follow all the updates here:

• Feb 26, 2021 05:23 PM IST

  West Bengal to go to polls on March 27

  West Bengal will go to polls in 8 phases. Poll dates are March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Results will be announce on May 2.

• Feb 26, 2021 05:22 PM IST

  Puducherry to go to polls on April 6

  Voting for Puducherry assembly elections in single phase on April 6

• Feb 26, 2021 05:20 PM IST

  Elections in Tamil Nadu to be held on April 6

  Elections in Tamil Nadu will be held in single phase, on April 6

• Feb 26, 2021 05:19 PM IST

  Kerala to go to polls on April 6

  Voting for Kerala assembly elections in single phase on April 6

• Feb 26, 2021 05:18 PM IST

  Assam to go to polls on March 27

  Assam assembly polls to be conducted in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6

• Feb 26, 2021 05:15 PM IST

  'This is my last press conference': Announces CEC Sunil Arora

  Election commissioner Sunil Arora said that Friday's press conference would be his last before his tenure in his office gets over. He thanked the media persons for their support.

• Feb 26, 2021 05:13 PM IST

  'All poll officials will be vaccinated against Covid-19 before elections': Sunil Arora

  "All poll officials will be vaccinated against Covid-19 before elections for five assemblies," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 05:08 PM IST

  Volunteers to assist those with Covid symptoms, PWD voters, elderly

  "Drinking water, toilets, power supply, waiting areas will be made available in all polling stations. Additionally, soap, water, sanitizer etc will also be available. PWD voters, senior citizens and those who have Covid symptoms will be assisted by volunteers at the polling station," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 05:06 PM IST

  'Election after election, MHA has supported ECI': Sunil Arora

  "Election after election, the commission has been getting support from the MHA in the form of deployment of central forces," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 05:04 PM IST

  'Webcasting arrangement in place at polling stations in critical and vulnerable areas:' Sunil Arora

  "Webcasting arrangement has been put in place at polling stations in critical and vulnerable areas," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 05:02 PM IST

  'Nearly 18.68 crore electors to vote in 4 assembly elections': Sunil Arora

  "Nearly 18.68 crore electors to vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 seats in 4 assembly elections," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:56 PM IST

  'Roadshows allowed, subject to norms': Sunil Arora

  "Roadshows will be allowed, they will be subject to norms. Polling time has been extended by an hour and door-to-door campaigning has been restricted to 5 people," says. CEC

• Feb 26, 2021 04:55 PM IST

  'Positive environment due to vaccine rollout': Sunil Arora

  "Vaccination drive has made situation more conducive for elections, everyone on poll duty declared frontline worker for vaccine purpose," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:54 PM IST

  'ECI started test trials with elections to 18 seats to Rajya Sabha': Sunil Arora

  "In the thick of the pandemic, ECI started test trials with elections to 18 seats to Rajya Sabha. After that, came the challenge of the Bihar elections, it was indeed a watershed moment for ECI. It proved to be a litmus test," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:46 PM IST

  'Due to Covid, we have decreased the number of polling stations in each state': Sunil Arora

  "Due to Covid-19, we have decreased the number of polling stations in each state," says Sunil Arora. "This means we would need many more polling and security personnel," he added.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:44 PM IST

  'All polling stations are on ground floor': Sunil Arora

  "All polling stations are on ground floor. This is non-negotiable," says Sunil Arora.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:40 PM IST

  'Proud of you': CEC praises those responsible for successful conduct of Bihar polls

  Chief Election Commissioner of India Sunil Arora praises the officials responsible for conducting the Bihar assembly elections successfully.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:25 PM IST

  These to be 2nd round of elections after Covid, Bihar polls were held in Oct

  This is the second round of assembly elections which will be held during the coronavirus pandemic after the polls in Bihar in three phases through October and November last year.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:19 PM IST

  Legislative assembly terms to end in May, June

  The terms of the 5 legislative assemblies in the states of Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and union territory Puducherry-- will end either in May or in June this year.

• Feb 26, 2021 04:13 PM IST

  EC to announce poll schedule at 4.30pm

  The Election Commission of India (ECI) will be addressing a press conference to announce the poll schedules for Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry at 4.30pm.