Guwahati: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday announced that polling for the Assam Legislative Assembly will be held on 9 April, with counting of votes across the five assemblies and the Union Territory scheduled for 4 May. The poll programme was declared at an event in New Delhi by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Schedule and overall figures
The ECI said Assembly elections in Keralam, Puducherry and Assam will be conducted in a single phase, while Tamil Nadu will vote in a single phase on 23 April. West Bengal will go to the polls in two phases — on 23 April and 29 April — covering 152 and 142 constituencies respectively.
According to the Commission, elections across the five assemblies and the Union Territory involve a combined electorate of more than 17 crore. The distribution of eligible voters in the affected states and Union Territory is given below:
| State / UT | Approximate electorate |
|---|---|
| West Bengal | over 6 crore |
| Tamil Nadu | nearly 6 crore |
| Keralam | nearly 3 crore |
| Assam | over 2 crore |
| Puducherry | over 9 lakh |
Polling infrastructure and administrative arrangements
The Commission said more than 2 lakh polling stations will be set up for these elections and nearly 25 lakh election officials will be deployed across the states and the Union Territory to conduct voting. The ECI also stipulated a ceiling of 1,200 electors per polling station.
To enhance transparency and monitoring, the Commission has directed that 100 per cent webcasting of polling stations be ensured for round-the-clock oversight. Directions have also been issued to provide Assured Minimum Facilities — drinking water, toilets and proper signage — at each polling location.
Model Code of Conduct and notifications
With the announcement of the schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force immediately in the states and the Union Territory concerned, the ECI said. Notifications for the Assembly elections in Assam, Keralam and Puducherry will be issued the day after the announcement. Notifications for Tamil Nadu and for the first phase of West Bengal will be issued on 30 March, while the notification for West Bengal’s second phase will be issued on 2 April.
Local implications for Assam
The single-phase polling on 9 April sets the timetable for political parties in Assam to firm up candidate lists, finalise campaign strategies and arrange logistics. With an electorate of just over 2 crore, parties will need to balance outreach across rural and urban pockets, hill districts and flood-prone areas.
- Dates to note: Polling — 9 April; Counting — 4 May.
- Polling stations: More than 2 lakh across the five states and UT; maximum 1,200 electors per station.
- Monitoring: 100% webcasting and deployment of nearly 25 lakh election officials.
The ECI said it has recently introduced 30 initiatives to make the electoral process more transparent. While the details of these new measures were not specified in the announcement, the Commission emphasised readiness to ensure a free and fair voting exercise.
Administrative and security preparations
Preparations in Assam will now pivot to finalising district-level arrangements, including special attention to remote and flood-affected areas where access can be disrupted. The cap on electors per polling station and the emphasis on assured facilities aim to smooth voter participation, but authorities will also need to coordinate transport, security and public information campaigns in the weeks ahead.
With the Model Code of Conduct now operative, the state administration must also ensure that government announcements and development-work communications conform to the Commission’s restrictions until the electoral process concludes.
The schedule announcement sets in motion a concentrated period of activity for political parties, election officials and civil society in Assam and neighbouring states as they prepare for one of the largest democratic exercises in the country this year.
