EC to Announce Assembly Election Schedule Today for West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry

Assembly elections are due to take place in West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry. Ahead of the polls, a special intensive revision of voter lists has already been completed in these states and the Union Territory, with the final electoral rolls now published. 

Who Are the Key Players in the West Bengal Assembly Elections?

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had on March 10 visited West Bengal to review poll preparedness in the state. They had also visited the other states that are heading into polls to review poll preparedness.

The total number of seats in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly is 294, with the main contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, has been in power in the state since 2011. 

Who Are the Key Contenders in Assam and Kerala Assembly Elections?

Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for 126 state assembly seats.

In Kerala, the main fight is between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) for 140 seats. Meanwhile, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is also in the fray to compete against both alliances. BJP plans to contest around 100 seats in Kerala, while its allies Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) and Twenty20 are expected to contest the remaining 40 seats as part of the alliance.

Parties Preparing for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Assembly Elections

For the 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, political parties are ramping up their campaign activities and finalising seat-sharing arrangements within their respective alliances.

Puducherry will hold elections for all 30 constituencies of the 16th Puducherry Legislative Assembly. While the Congress is fighting the polls in an alliance with DMK and CPI, the opposition consisted of All India NR Congress, BJP and AIADMK.

How Is the EC Ensuring Free and Fair West Bengal Assembly Polls?

The Election Commission of India reviewed poll preparedness for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Pudducherry previously this month.

According to a release, the Election Commission appointed Central Observers under the plenary powers conferred on it by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, to assist the Commission in the conduct of free and fair polls. They also oversee the efficient and effective management of the electoral process at the field level. 

(Inputs from ANI) 

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