New Delhi, Ap 23: Polling for the 2026 Assembly elections began on Thursday in Tamil Nadu and the first phase in West Bengal, with tight security in place. Voting will continue until 6:00 pm today in both states.
Ahead of the polls, mock voting exercises were conducted across polling stations in both states to ensure smooth operations. Tamil Nadu is holding its Legislative Assembly elections in a single phase, while West Bengal will have two phases, with the second phase scheduled for April 29. Vote counting in both states is set for May 4.
In Tamil Nadu, polling is taking place across 234 Assembly constituencies. West Bengal has 294 constituencies, with the first phase covering 152 seats and the second phase 142. A total of 1,478 candidates are contesting in the first phase alone.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik highlighted the state’s electorate of over 5.73 crore voters, including 2.93 crore women, 2.80 crore men, and 7,728 third-gender voters. First-time voters number 14.59 lakh, while 68,501 service voters and 4.18 lakh postal votes have been registered. Sixty-two counting centers have been established to ensure a smooth tally after voting concludes.
The main contest in Tamil Nadu is expected between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (including Congress, DMDK, and VCK) and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (with BJP and PMK). While DMK campaigns on its welfare record, the AIADMK-led NDA seeks a comeback. Actor-turned-politician Vijay is making his electoral debut with his party TVK, potentially creating a three-way contest.
In West Bengal, a high-stakes battle is unfolding between the incumbent Trinamool Congress, aiming for a fourth consecutive term under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and the BJP, which is attempting to form the government after winning 77 seats in the previous election.
Simultaneously, by-elections are underway in Gujarat’s Umreth and Maharashtra’s Baramati and Rahuri constituencies, with counting also scheduled for May 4.
