The Election Commission of India on Feb 26th 2021 announced that voting for 5 assembly elections (4 states and 1 UT) will begin from March 27th 2021. A total of 824 assembly constituencies shall be going for polls during these elections. 18.68 crore electors will cast vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
In a Press Note released on March 3rd 2021 Election Commissioner Mr. Sushsil Chandra said said that in the forthcoming elections, more than 18 crore voters would be exercising their right of franchise. Accounting for social distancing norms, more than 80,000 polling stations have been added. He said Observers need to ensure proper direction to Field-level officers so that ECI’s constitutional mandate is scrupulously fulfilled. He called upon Observers for their active interventions and presence which could enable in building confidence among the voters especially in vulnerable areas and make all efforts to curb money power or vices of liquor and freebies with complete involvement of all enforcement agencies.
For these upcoming elections, ECI has extended the option of Postal Ballot facility to the electors who are marked as Persons with Disabilities (PwD), electors above the age of 80 years, electors employed in notified Essential services and electors who are COVID- 19 positive/suspect as certified by competent authority and are in quarantine (home/institutional). Commission’s broad Guidelines for COVID-safe election to be adhered to during the entire election processes for all persons, include increased number of auxiliary Polling stations, Thermal Scanning of all persons, Sanitizer and mask use; larger halls with adequate spacing of counting tables; Adequate number of vehicles mobilized for movement of polling personnel, security personnel to ensure compliance of COVID-19 guidelines as also vaccination for all personnel involved in electoral process.