Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for Assembly Elections to be held in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
While elections in the crucial West Bengal state will be held in six phases, Assam will go to polls in two phases and Tamil Nadu and Kerala will have single-phase elections. The Union Territory of Puducherry too will go to polls in one phase.
Counting of votes for all the states will be held on May 13.
The schedule was announced by Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi at a press conference at the Election Commission office here.
The model code of conduct has come into force with immediate effect.
The CEC said dates for by-elections in these states were being worked out and will be announced in a couple of days.
According to Qureshi, for the first time ever overseas Indians have been enrolled and would be allowed to vote in person.
In another first, the CEC said representatives of political parties were allowed to be present at first-level check for electronic voting machines (EVMs), which will be used in the upcoming elections in four states and one Union Territory.
The detailed poll schedule is as follows:
West Bengal
Phase 1 (54 constituencies):
Date of Notification – March 24
Date of Election - April 18
Phase 2 (50 constituencies):
Date of Notification – March 30
Date of Election - April 23
Phase 3 (75 constituencies):
Date of Notification – April 2
Date of Election - April 27
Phase 4 (63 constituencies):
Date of Notification – April 7
Date of Election – May 3
Phase 5 (38 constituencies):
Date of Notification – April 11
Date of Election – May 7
Phase 6 (14 constituencies):
Date of Notification – April 14
Date of Election – May 10
Tamil Nadu
(All 234 constituencies in single phase)
Date of Notification – March 19
Date of Election - April 13
Kerala
(All 140 constituencies in single phase)
Date of Notification – March 19
Date of Election - April 13
Assam
Phase 1 (62 constituencies):
Date of Notification – March 10
Date of Election - April 4
Phase 2 (64 constituencies):
Date of Notification – March 18
Date of Election - April 11
Puducherry
(All 30 constituencies in single phase)
Date of Notification – March 19
Date of Election - April 13
The number of voters in each state is as follows: Tamil Nadu (4.59 crores), Kerala (2.29 crores), Assam (1.81 crores), West Bengal (5.60 crores) and Puducherry (80 lakh).
The number of polling stations is as follows: Tamil Nadu (54,016), Kerala (27,758), Assam (23,113), West Bengal (51,919) and Puducherry (851).
The term of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly expires on May 16, that of Kerala on May 23, Assam and Puducherry on May 28, and West Bengal Assembly’s term ends on June 11.
First Published: Wednesday, March 02, 2011, 10:19