GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is likely to announce the poll dates for Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry at 4:30 PM today, February 26.
Five states including Assam are due for Assembly elections this year. Elections will be conducted for 126 seats in Assam, 294 seats in West Bengal, 140 seats in Kerala, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu and 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
The assembly election schedule will be announced at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, in a press conference organized by the election commission.
This is the second round of assembly elections during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic after the Bihar elections, which was held in three phases last year in October and November.
Model code of conduct to come into effect
After the election dates are announced, the model code of conduct (MCC) will come into force with immediate effect as a set of guidelines issued by the EC to ensure free and fair polls.
The MCC comes into force from the day the EC announces the schedule for the assembly elections till the date the results are announced.
According to Article 324 of the Constitution, the EC has the power to monitor the Centre, all the state governments, all the candidates and their respective political parties.
