Election Dates 2021 HIGHLIGHTS: PM's Kerala, Tamil Nadu Visit Cancelled As Model Code Of Conduct Comes Into Effect

Election Dates 2021: Addressing a press conference in the national capital on Friday, the Election Commission announced dates of Assembly Elections in as many as 4 states and 1 union territory. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, and Puducherry are due for assembly elections in April-May this year. The poll panel had convened a press conference at 4.30 pm.

Background

The Election Commission of India will reveal the much-awaited poll dates in an important press conference at 4:30 pm today. The poll panel is expected to announce dates for elections to the legislative assemblies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry today.It may be noted here that elections are due in four states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Assam and in the union territory of Puducherry. Election campaigning is already underway at a hectic pace in all four states and the UT of Puducherry.It was much anticipated that EC will announce the dates of assembly elections in the first week of March.  Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a public meeting at Silapathar in Assam’s Dhemaji district, said, “Last time in 2016, the Assembly poll dates were announced on March 4. This year, it is my assumption that EC will announce the dates for Assembly Polls by March 7. It is up to them (EC) to announce the dates but till the announcement is made, I will visit Assam, West Bengal, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala as much as I can.”While 294 Assembly seats are slated to go to polls in West Bengal, 234 seats are up for grabs in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam, and 30 seats in Puducherry.All eyes are on the West Bengal Assembly Election as BJP has begun rigorous campaigning in the state eyeing to make inroads on Mamata's turf. The Election Commission is closely monitoring the situation in all 5 poll-bound states, and security forces have already been deployed in West Bengal.

26/02/2021 19:57:56

PM's Kerala, Tamil Nadu Visit Cancelled As Model Code Of Conduct Comes Into Effect

Narendra Modi's visit to Kerala on Feb 27 and Tamil Nadu on Feb 28 has been cancelled due as the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into effect in the poll-bound states after Election Commission announced polling dates earlier in the day. West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will go for polls, starting March 27. Result for all Assembly polls will be announced on May 2.

26/02/2021 18:26:17

Mamata Banerjee Slams EC On Bengal Poll Dates

Soon after the Election Commission announced that the West Bengal Assembly Polls will he held in 8 phases starting March 27, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a press conference to slam the poll body questioning the reason behind why eight phases of voting has been decided for the state. 

26/02/2021 18:09:44

Assembly Polls 2021: Schedule For 4 States, 1 UT

West Bengal: https://news.abplive.com/news/west-bengal-election-2021-dates-wb-assembly-elections-2021-full-schedule-voting-counting-result-date-1446032

Assam: https://news.abplive.com/news/assam-election-2021-dates-assam-assembly-elections-2021-full-schedule-voting-counting-result-date-1446035

Tamil Nadu: https://news.abplive.com/news/india/tamil-nadu-election-2021-dates-tn-assembly-elections-2021-full-schedule-voting-counting-result-date-1446038

Kerala: https://news.abplive.com/news/india/kerala-election-2021-dates-kerala-assembly-elections-2021-full-schedule-voting-counting-result-date-1446036

Puducherry: https://news.abplive.com/news/india/puducherry-election-2021-dates-kerala-assembly-elections-2021-full-schedule-voting-counting-result-date-1446037

26/02/2021 17:52:11

Puducherry Assembly Poll Dates

Date of polling: April 6

Date of Counting- May 2

26/02/2021 17:51:04

Kerala Assembly Poll Dates

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for polling of the Kerala State Assembly on Friday. 

POLL SCHEDULE

Polling Date: April 6 

Counting of Votes & Result: May 2

26/02/2021 17:34:23

West Bengal Assembly Election Dates

The five-year term of the 294-member West Bengal assembly is set to expire soon and the state would go to the polls in as many as 8 phases, starting March 27. Counting of votes and result announcement will be done on May 2.

Polling Dates: Starting March 27 (3 Phases)

Phase 1: March 27

Phase 2: April 1 

Phase 3: April 6

Phase 4: April 10

Phase 5: April 17

Phase 6: April 22

Phase 7: April 26

Phase 8:  April 29

Counting of votes & results: May 2

26/02/2021 17:29:55

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections Date

As per the Election Commission announcement, the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes and result announcement will take place on May 2.

26/02/2021 17:28:25

Assam Assembly Polls Dates

The five-year term of the 126-member Assam assembly is set to expire on May 31, 2021, and the state would go to the polls in three phases, starting March 27. Counting of votes and result announcement will be done on May 2.

Polling Dates: Starting March 27 (3 Phases)

1st phase (47 assembly seats) - March 27

2nd phase (39 assembly seats) - April 1

3rd phase (40 assembly seats) - April 6 

Counting of Votes and Result: May 2

26/02/2021 17:19:56

Assam Assembly Poll Dates

Assam Assembly polls will be held in three phases. The first phase will be on March 27. The date of counting on votes and result announcement is on May 2.

26/02/2021 17:08:59

No Voting On CBSE Exam Days, Festivals

Voting will not take place on the days that have CBSE examinations or any festivals. The Election Commission also announced that senior citizens, sick people and essential services employee will be allowed to exercise their franchise by using postal ballot. 

26/02/2021 17:05:05

EC Presser: Top Announcements

Candidates can fill their nominations online

Candidates can also submit the deposit fee online

All polling booths should be set up on ground floor

All sensitive polling booths will have video recording

CRPF have been deployed in all poll-bound states

26/02/2021 17:01:22

EC On Security Deployment

Adequate Central Armed Police Forces deployment shall be ensured during Assembly elections in 5 states. All critical, vulnerable polling stations identified and an adequate number of CAPFs will be deployed.

26/02/2021 16:58:45

Road Show Allowed, Max 5 Ppl For Door-To-Door Campaign

Further in his address, the CEC also said that the roadshows will be allowed during the poll campaign provided that the convoy is broken after every five vehicles. The final decision will lie with the local CEO. He also said that a maximum of 5 people will be allowed for door-to-door campaigns.

26/02/2021 16:55:32

Polling Officials To Be Vaccinated Before Elections

India's vaccination drive, Sunil Arora said, has contributed significantly to build a positive election environment and has boosted the public's faith in the process. During the presser, he also announced that the officials involved polling process have been categorised as frontline workers and will be vaccinated before the polls.

26/02/2021 16:52:47

Polling Time Increased By 1 Hour

CEC Sunil Arora also announced that polling time for all these 5 states have been increased by 1 hour till 6 pm. However, the exact timings will be decided by the local polling authority depending upon the districts, areas and regions.

26/02/2021 16:51:17

Assembly Elections: Polling Booths Increased

Assam will have 33,000 polling stations 

Tamil Nadu will have 66,000 polling stations

West Bengal will have 1,01,916 polling stations

Polling stations in Kerala and Puducherry have also been increased

Sunil Arora also announced that more than 18 crore voters will exercise their franchise in the upcoming Assembly elections to be held in 5 states.

26/02/2021 16:44:46

CEC Recalls Bihar Assembly Polls

CEC Sunil Arora remembers Bihar Assembly Elections which was the first polling event in the country post Covid-19 pandemic. "In the thick of the pandemic, ECI started test trials with elections to 18 seats to Rajya Sabha. After that, came the challenge of the Bihar elections, it was indeed a watershed moment for ECI. It proved to be a litmus test," he said. 

26/02/2021 16:40:29

Chief Election Commissioner Pays Tribute To Covid-19 Warriors On Election Duty

In his opening remarks, Sunil Arora Chief Election Commissioner of India said that the poll body tributes the COVID warriors, doctors, paramedics, nurses, researchers, scientists and all our officials on election duty who are located on the frontline. 

26/02/2021 16:36:41

EC Presser On Poll Dates Begins

The Election Commission has started its press conference to announce the poll dates for 4 states and 1 UT with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora addressing the media at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. 

26/02/2021 15:54:56

Elections To Be Conducted With Necessary Covid Guidelines

Similar to the Bihar polls, candidates for the election will also follow the guidelines while officials inside polling booths will wear masks, face shields, and gloves and use sanitizers. 

Once inside polling stations, voters will have their body temperatures checked. The body temperature of a voter would be checked for a second time if the person is found to have a temperature beyond the permissible limit of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. If the person's body temperature is found high for the second time too, the voter will be asked to come back to cast vote in the final hour of the day (5 pm-6 pm). Suspected Covid-19 patients will be allowed to cast their votes only after others finish exercising their franchise.

26/02/2021 15:42:32

5 States To Go For Polls In 2021

The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states are coming to an end in May and June. Polls are to be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in Puducherry. In Puducherry, President's Rule has been imposed.

26/02/2021 15:42:05

EC To announce poll dates for 5 states

Election Commission will announce poll dates for five states today. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry are due for assembly elections in April-May this year. The poll panel has convened a press conference at 4.30 pm.