The Election Commission of India on Sunday revealed the schedule for Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory while highlighting steps taken to ensure transparent and fair voting.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar disclosed the election dates during a media briefing in New Delhi. He stated that voting in Assam and Kerala will take place in a single phase on April 9.
The Union Territory of Puducherry will also conduct its Assembly elections on the same date. In Tamil Nadu, all 234 Assembly constituencies will participate in polling scheduled for April 23.
The 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will undergo voting in two stages during the election process. The first phase will cover 152 constituencies on April 23. The remaining 142 seats will vote during the second phase scheduled for April 29.
The Election Commission confirmed that counting of votes for all these elections will take place on May 4.
The poll body also announced by-elections for eight Assembly constituencies located across Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tripura.
Polling for the by-elections in Gujarat and Maharashtra will occur on April 23. The remaining bypoll constituencies will conduct voting on April 9.
Authorities will declare the results for these by-elections on May 4, along with the Assembly election outcomes.
While unveiling the election schedule, Gyanesh Kumar encouraged voters to take part in the democratic process in large numbers.
He specifically addressed first-time voters and urged them to exercise their voting rights. The Chief Election Commissioner described elections as a celebration of democracy and repeated the message, "Chunaav ka parv, hum sabka garv."