The Election Commission has announced that all election campaigning—offline and digital—must stop from 6 pm on April 21 and remain prohibited until polling ends. The directive comes ahead of voting for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly election scheduled on April 23.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said the restrictions are being enforced under Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm on April 23.
During the silence period, no one is allowed to organise, conduct or participate in public meetings or processions. The EC also barred the display or dissemination of election-related content through films, television, FM radio, and digital platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, including SMS and internet-based communication.
The order further prohibits using concerts, cinema-related activities or other entertainment events to canvass voters. Any breach of these provisions can invite punishment under Section 126(2), including up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
The EC also directed that political party office-bearers and workers brought in from outside a constituency, as well as non-voters of that constituency, must leave after 6 pm on April 21. Checks will be carried out at marriage halls, community centres, lodges and guest houses for outside stay, and vehicle permissions—including for star campaigners—will become invalid after the deadline, with limited vehicle passes allowed on polling day as specified by the Returning Officer.
