Election commissioner Sunil Arora said that Friday’s press conference was his last before his tenure in his office gets over. He thanked the media persons for their support. “All poll officials will be vaccinated against Covid-19  before elections for five assemblies,” said Sunil Arora.

West Bengal would go to polls on March 27. The election in West Bengal would be carried out in 8 phases. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora announced that Election Commission will appoint 2 special observers for the West Bengal Assembly polls. “A third observer can be sent if needed,” he said.

Puducherry would go to polls on April 6. Elections in Tamil Nadu would be held on April 6. Kerala would go to polls on April 6. Assam elections would be held from March 27, in 3 phases, as announced by EC.

Also See: Would West Bengal election really be a three-way fight after the defections?

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Trinamool Congress (TMC) are among the major political parties which will contest these elections in these four states and the Union territory. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK, and the BJP have joined hands, and the opposition DMK will fight the assembly election with the Congress once again. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the BJP will be fighting it out in West Bengal as the ruling party will look to retain the state.

Also See: What are the problem areas of TMC and the chances of BJP in this election season in West Bengal

Kerala will see the Left Democratic Front (LDF), which is led by the Communist Party of India(Marxist) or CPI(M), cross paths with the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by Congress These coalitions have held power in the southern state alternately over the last four decades. The LDF had won the 2016 Kerala assembly election as it won 91 out of 140 seats. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has an incumbent government in Assam with the party’s Sarbananda Sonowal as the chief minister. In the last assembly polls in 2016, the BJP formed its maiden government in the northeastern state after defeating the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

These will be the first set of assembly elections to be held in the country since those in Bihar in October-November last year and the second state polls amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Also see: Trilateral fight in West Bengal election 2021

Volunteers would be assisting those with Covid symptoms, PWD voters, & elderly. “Drinking water, toilets, power supply, waiting areas will be made available in all polling stations. Additionally, soap, water, and sanitizer will also be available. PWD voters, senior citizens and those who have Covid symptoms will be assisted by volunteers at the polling station,” said Sunil Arora. He also added that in elections after elections, MHA has supported the ECI in the deployment of central forces.