Election Commission to announce poll dates for Bengal, 4 other states at 4 pm today

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to announce the schedule for the 2026 Legislative Assembly elections for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and the Union Territory of Puducherry today. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, will address a crucial press conference at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, at 4 pm. With this announcement, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will immediately come into effect, restricting the government from announcing new projects or making policy decisions that could influence voters.

The upcoming elections are highly anticipated, particularly in West Bengal, where the term of the current 294-member Assembly ends on May 7, 2026. Unlike the eight-phased marathon election in 2021, sources suggest the ECI might conduct the Bengal polls in fewer phases this time, possibly three or four, following consensus among major political parties. The state is bracing for a direct and fierce battle between the ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and a resurgent BJP.

The announcement follows a series of rigorous preparations, including a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the poll-bound states. In West Bengal, the process has been particularly contentious, with over 60 lakh voters currently "under adjudication" following a Supreme Court intervention. The ECI has assured that all eligible voters will be included in supplementary lists before the polling dates, which are expected to fall in late March and throughout April to ensure the new government is formed before the May deadline.