Assembly Election 2026 Live Updates, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Voting Date: West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are set for high stakes poll contest for April 23, 2026. Bengal on Thursday will be voting in its first phase on 152 seats, while Tamil Nadu votes on all 234 seats. Polling will begin at 7:00 AM, preceded by a mock poll at 5:30 AM. Voting will close at 6:00 PM, but anyone in the queue by then will still be allowed to cast their vote.
In West Bengal, the state is set to witness a high-voltage contest between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is seeking a fourth consecutive term, and the BJP, which is aiming to form the government after a strong showing in the previous elections. The second phase in Bengal will take place on April 29, in 142 seats.
In Tamil Nadu, the incumbent Chief Minister MK Stalin is seeking a second consecutive term while the opposition AIADMK, backed by the BJP as part of the NDA alliance, will be looking to de-throne the DMK government.
Ahead of the voting on Thursday, the election body on Wednesday in a big crackdown seized cash, drugs and liquor meant to allure voters worth Rs 1,000 crore, in both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar had ensured that the poll body will conduct a free, fair, transparent, intimidation-free and violence-free election in West Bengal. The results of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu along with Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will be declared on May 4.
