India is set for a major political development today as the Election Commission prepares to announce the poll schedule for five key states. The announcement will be made during a press conference at 4 PM on Sunday at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The full bench of the Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, will reveal the dates for the upcoming assembly elections. Political circles are particularly focused on West Bengal, where the number of voting phases may be significantly reduced this time.
Sources within the Election Commission indicate that West Bengal could witness fewer polling phases compared to previous elections. The 2021 West Bengal Assembly election was conducted in eight phases, which had triggered widespread debate. Earlier elections were held in six to seven phases. This time, however, the number of phases may be limited to just two or three, according to officials familiar with the planning process.
Despite the possibility of fewer phases, the Commission is not expected to compromise on security arrangements. Considering the history of political violence during elections in the state, a large deployment of central security forces is likely. Election observers and surveillance mechanisms will also be strengthened to ensure a free, fair, and peaceful electoral process across the state.
Along with West Bengal, the Election Commission will also announce the poll schedule for Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Recently, the full bench of the Commission led by Gyanesh Kumar visited Kolkata and held meetings with administrative officials and representatives of various political parties. During those discussions, almost all parties requested that the election be conducted in fewer phases. Opposition parties had even demanded that voting be completed in one or two phases.
Meanwhile, the voter list revision process in West Bengal remains a significant issue ahead of the announcement. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls has not yet been fully completed. Several lakh voter names are still marked as “under consideration.”
Following directions from the Supreme Court, judicial officers appointed by the Calcutta High Court are currently verifying cases involving discrepancies in voter data. On February 28, the Election Commission released an incomplete electoral roll based on the SIR process. The court had permitted the Commission to publish additional lists in phases afterward. However, no further updated list has been released so far.
According to official figures, as many as 6,006,675 voters in West Bengal were listed as “under consideration” as of February 28. Opposition parties have raised concerns over whether these voters will ultimately be allowed to cast their votes.
The Election Commission has clarified that any voter whose status is resolved before polling begins will be eligible to vote. However, if the first phase of voting takes place soon after the Bengali New Year, it remains uncertain whether all pending cases will be settled in time.
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