ECI Meeting Today: Poll to announce assembly poll schedule for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry at 4 PM

ECI Meeting Today: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will hold a press conference on Sunday, March 15 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The poll body will announce the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory.

According to a media invitation issued by the Commission, the press conference will begin at 4 PM. The elections are due in West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Assam, along with the Union Territory of Puducherry.

Ahead of the polls, a special intensive revision of the voters’ lists has already been carried out in these regions. The final electoral rolls have also been published.

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EC Reviews Poll Preparedness

Earlier this month, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, reviewed preparations in states that are heading to the polls. The Commission also visited several of the poll-bound states, including West Bengal, to assess the readiness of the election machinery.

West Bengal: Main Contest Between TMC and BJP

In West Bengal, voting will take place for the 294-member Legislative Assembly. The key contest is expected between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The TMC, led by Mamata Banerjee, has been in power in the state since 2011.

Assam: NDA vs Congress

Assam will vote for its 126-member Assembly. The contest is likely to see the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance taking on the Indian National Congress.

Kerala: LDF and UDF in Direct Contest

Kerala will see a contest mainly between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) for the 140 Assembly seats. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance will also be in the fray. The BJP is expected to contest around 100 constituencies, while its allies — Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) and Twenty20 Party — may contest the remaining seats as part of the alliance arrangement.

Tamil Nadu: Campaign Activity Picks Up

Tamil Nadu will also head to the polls for its 234-member Assembly. Political parties in the state have stepped up campaign activities and are finalising seat-sharing arrangements within their alliances.

Puducherry: Elections for All 30 Seats

Meanwhile, Puducherry will hold elections for all 30 constituencies of the 16th Puducherry Legislative Assembly. In the Union Territory, the Congress is contesting the polls in alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Communist Party of India (CPI).

On the other side, the opposition alliance includes the All India NR Congress, the BJP and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

Central Observers Appointed

The Election Commission had earlier said that Central Observers have been appointed under the plenary powers granted to it by Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. These observers assist the Commission in ensuring that elections are conducted in a free and fair manner. They also oversee the management of the electoral process at the field level.

With ANI Inputs