Elections dates announced, Assam will go for Two Phase elections
New Delhi
Election Commission of India has announced the dates of Assembly elections of Four states was due this years. Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry will be held between April 4, 2016 and May 16, 2016 spread over 43 days.
Counting of votes in all the States will be held on May 19, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi announced on Friday.
It will be a single-day polling in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry on May 16, while it will be in six phases in West Bengal and two phase in Assam on 4th and 11th April.
Like in 2011, West Bengal will have polls spread over six phases. The first phase to be held in Naxal-affected areas will have two polling dates — April 4 and April 11. The other phases will be held on April 17, 21, 25, 30 and May 5. Assam will go to polls in two phases on April 4 and 11.
Mr. Zaidi said two dates in the first phase of polling in West Bengal have been decided keeping in mind the sensitive nature of the area and the availability of security personnel as they would also be deployed in Assam which is also considered sensitive.
important steps taken by EC this time
- All booths will have seven basic facilities and there will also be all-women polling booths.
- First time a symbol, which has been created by the National School of Design, allotted to NOTA (None of the above) that will be placed at the bottom of the list of candidates.
- he photographs of all candidates will be included along with their name and the symbol on the EVMs. This has been done to eliminate confusion for voters
The poll schedule is as follows.
Assam
Number of constituencies: 126
Number of phases: 2 (65, 61)
Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: March 11, 14
Last Date for Nominations: March 18, 21
Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: March 19, 22
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: March 21, 26
Date of polling: April 4, 11
West Bengal
Number of constituencies: 294
Number of phases: 6* (18, 56, 62, 49, 53, 56 )
Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: March 11&14, 22, 28, April 1, 4, 7
Last Date for Nominations: March 18&21, 29, April 4, 8, 11
Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: March 19&22, 30, April 5, 9, 19
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: March 21&26, April 1, 7, 11, 21
Date of poll: April 4&11, 17, 21, 25, 30, May 5
*First phase will be held on two days.
Kerala
Number of constituencies: 140
Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: April 22
Last Date for Nominations: April 29
Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: April 30
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: May 2
Date of polling: May 16
Tamil Nadu
Number of constituencies: 234
Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: April 22
Last Date for Nominations: April 29
Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: April 30
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: May 2
Date of polling: May 16
Puducherry
Number of constituencies: 30
Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: April 22
Last Date for Nominations: April 29
Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: April 30
Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: May 2
Date of polling: May 16
Counting of votes on May 19.
