NEW DELHI: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora has announced the dates for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry assembly elections to be held between March 27 to April 29 in several phases. All results will be announced on May 2.

West Bengal polls will be held in eight phases starting from March 27, April 1, 6, 10, 17, 22, 26 & 29 for 294 seats, Tamil Nadu assembly polls will be held in one phase on April 6 for 234 seats, Kerala assembly polls for 140 seats will be held in one phase on April 6, Assam goes to polls in three phases on March 27, April 1 & 6 for 126 seats, and Puducherry assembly polls will be held in one phase on April 6 for 33 seats.

The CEC informed that in all a total of 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls during these elections in which 18.68 crore electors will cast their votes at 2.7 lakh polling stations.

On the questions of the increased number of elections phases in West Bengal, the CEC said that they have taken the decision after assessing the law-and-order situation, talking to stake holders including political parties and several other factors like deployment of manpower, central forces etc.

CEC Arora said, "Elections to West Bengal assembly in 2016 were in also in seven phases. The Lok Sabha was in 7 phases. So, 7 to 8 phases is not such a big deal, we also have to see the current charges and counter-charges by political parties."

Arora said the Commission has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide two or three BSF helicopters so that the observers can visit various places for on-the-sot checks. The helicopters would be utilised for all the four states and the Puducherry UT.

This will be the second state polls amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, after the first set of assembly elections were held in Bihar in October-November last year. The CEC said that door-to-door campaigning will be restricted to five persons, including the candidate, while roadshows will be allowed with a maximum of five vehicles.

He said that all poll officials will be vaccinated against COVID-19 before elections for five assemblies.

Arora said that the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect with the announcement of polls in these states.