Assembly Elections 2026: Election Commission Visits Kerala, West Bengal; Poll Dates May Be Announced Soon

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to visit Kerala on March 6–7 and West Bengal on March 9–10 to review preparedness for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. According to official sources, the poll schedule may be announced shortly after the Commission’s West Bengal visit.

The high-level review will be conducted by the full Election Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Election Commission Reviewing Poll Preparedness

During the visits, the Commission will hold meetings with:

• Registered political parties

• Senior law enforcement officials

• Inspectors General and Deputy Inspectors General of Police

• District Electoral Officers

• Superintendents of Police

• Nodal officers from enforcement agencies

The discussions will focus on key aspects of election preparation, including:

• Election planning and logistics

• Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) management

• Training of election staff

• Law and order arrangements

• Seizure monitoring and enforcement coordination

• Voter awareness and outreach programs

These meetings are part of the Commission’s standard process to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections in poll-bound states.

Election Commission Already Visited Other Poll-Bound States

Before scheduling visits to Kerala and West Bengal, the Election Commission had already conducted similar review meetings in:

• Tamil Nadu

• Assam

• Puducherry (Union Territory)

These states are also preparing for Assembly elections in 2026.

Assembly Terms Ending Between May and June

The terms of the current legislative assemblies in the poll-bound states will end as follows:

• West Bengal Assembly – May 7

• Tamil Nadu Assembly – May 10

• Assam Assembly – May 20

• Kerala Assembly – May 23

• Puducherry Assembly – June 15

Elections must be conducted before these terms expire to ensure continuity of governance.

Electoral Roll Revision Conducted Across States

Ahead of the elections, the Election Commission carried out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls under Phase 2 in most poll-bound states.

However, Assam followed a different process, conducting a Special Revision due to legal complications related to the unpublished National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Decline in Voter Numbers After Revision

Following the revision exercise, the number of registered voters declined in several states:

• Tamil Nadu – down by 11.55%

• Kerala – down by 3.22%

• West Bengal – down by 8%

• Puducherry – down by 7.57%

Final voter lists have already been published in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, and Assam.

Over 60 Lakh Voters Under Adjudication in West Bengal

In West Bengal, the voter list released on February 28 includes more than 60 lakh voters marked under “adjudication.”

These cases are currently being examined by court-appointed judicial officers due to discrepancies or “unmapped” entries identified during the electoral roll revision process.

Once their claims are cleared, these voters will be added to the final electoral roll, allowing them to vote in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Court Intervention in Voter Verification Process

Last month, the Calcutta High Court informed the Supreme Court of India that its limited number of judicial officers could not promptly handle over 60 lakh voter claims generated during the revision process.

The Supreme Court subsequently allowed additional judges from neighbouring states Odisha and Jharkhand to assist in resolving the pending cases.

This measure aims to accelerate the adjudication process before the Assembly elections.

Election Schedule Announcement Expected Soon

With the Election Commission completing its review visits across all poll-bound states, political observers expect the official election schedule for the 2026 Assembly polls to be announced soon after the West Bengal visit concludes.

The upcoming elections will determine new governments in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When will the election schedule be announced? Ans. The poll schedule is expected to be announced soon after the Commission completes its visit to West Bengal.

Q. Which states are going to polls in 2026? Ans. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will hold Assembly elections.