The Election Commission is likely to announce the Assembly election schedule for five states, including Tamil Nadu, on March 15 or 16, according to reports.
Assembly elections are due in April in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam. The Commission has been carrying out preparatory work and holding consultations as part of the process.
On February 26 and 27, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi visited Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, meeting the state’s Chief Electoral Officer, the Chief Secretary, the DGP and representatives of recognised political parties. The Commission has also completed consultations in Assam, while its Kerala visit concluded on Saturday.
The Commission is scheduled to tour West Bengal for two days starting Monday. It will then hold a meeting with social media companies in Delhi on March 11, after which the poll timetable for the five states is expected to be finalised.
Along with the Assembly elections, bypolls are also expected to be announced for vacant Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in various states. West Bengal is likely to vote in five to seven phases, while Tamil Nadu and the other four states are expected to go to polls in a single phase.
