Assembly polls in West Bengal on Mar 27, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry on Apr 6; results on 2 May

Counting of votes for elections to four states and one UT is 2nd May, 2021: Chief Election Commissioner

Counting of votes for elections to four states and one UT is 2nd May: Chief Election Commissioner pic.twitter.com/Jm49qLgP3L

— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2021

West Bengal poll to be conducted in eight phases: First phase of polling on Mar 27, Second phase of polling on Apr 1, Third phase of polling on Apr 6, Fourth phase of polling on Apr 10, Fifth phase of polling on Apr 17, Sixth phase polling on Apr 22, Seventh phase on Apr 26 and Eight phase polling on Apr 29

Puducherry elections to be held on 6th April, counting on 2nd May: Chief Election Commissioner

Puducherry elections to be held on 6th April, counting on 2nd May: Chief Election Commissioner

— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2021

Kerala goes to polls on 6th April and the counting of votes on 2nd May: Sunil Arora, CEC

Tamil Nadu assembly elections to be held in a single phase on 6th April and the counting of votes on 2nd May: Chief Election Commissioner

Assam assembly elections to be held in 3 phases: 1st phase of polling- 27th March, second phase polling- 1st April and third phase of polling- 6th April. Date of counting of the votes 2nd May 2021: CEC

Assam polls first phase will cover 47 seats, second phase will cover 39 seats and third will cover 40 seats.

Model Code of Conduct to come into force immediately after the announcement of the election dates: Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner (ANI)

Model Code of Conduct to come into force immediately after the announcement of the election dates: Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner pic.twitter.com/YL37UsKesx

— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2021

Important police stations have been identified and adequate security arrangements have been made ahead of the polls. All the polling stations is going to be under CCTV surveillance: Sunil Arora, CEC

Chief Election Commissioner revealed that the current poll exercise will cover 18.68 crore voters across the states, around 2.7 lakh polling stations in 824 seats in four states and one UT. The mammoth polling exercise will be held while adhering to all health ministry’ COVID-19 pandemic guidelines.

Adequate CAPFs deployment shall be ensured during elections. All critical, vulnerable polling stations identified and an adequate number of CAPFs will be deployed: Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner (ANI)

A total of 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls during these elections. 18.68 crore electors will cast vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry: Chief Election Commissioner of India

All poll officials will be vaccinated ahead of the election: Chief Election Commissioner

Chief Election Commissioner said, “percent increase in polling stations in Assam is 34 percent. In West Bengal, polling stations will be increased by 31.65 percent. In Kerala, the percentage increased is 89.65 percent.”

The term of Assam assembly is ending on 31 May 2021. Total number of assembly seats is 126: Chief Election Commissioner 

Our tributes to the COVID warriors, doctors, paramedics, nurses, researchers, scientists and all our officials on election duty who are located on the frontline: Sunil Arora, Chief Election Commissioner of India (ANI)

Puducherry Lt Governor announces a 2% reduction in VAT (Value Added Tax) on petrol and diesel in the union territory (ANI)

Ahead of the Election Commission's announcement of the schedule for the assembly polls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday hiked the minimum wages of labourers under the West Bengal Urban Employment Scheme.

I am pleased to announce a HIKE in the wages of daily wage workers under WB Urban Employment Scheme:

> To ₹202 per day from ₹144 earlier for unskilled labour

> To ₹303 from ₹172 earlier for semi-skilled

> ₹404 for skilled labour (new category introduced)

(1/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 26, 2021

While in Puducherry, President's Rule has been imposed and the assembly kept under suspended animation after the V Narayanasamy-led Congress government resigned earlier this week. 

The terms of the legislative assemblies of four states are coming to an end in May and June.