West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026: Two-Phase Voting to Begin on April 23
New Delhi, March 15, 2026 — The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially announced the schedule for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections. In a highly anticipated press conference, the ECI revealed that the battle for the state’s 294 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) will be conducted in two phases, ensuring adequate security deployment and a smooth voting process.
The electoral exercise in the state will kick off in late April, with the final counting of votes scheduled for early May.
Phase 1: 152 Constituencies to Vote on April 23
The first phase of the West Bengal elections will cover a majority of the seats, with 152 Assembly Constituencies going to the polls.
Gazette Notification: Monday, March 30, 2026
Last Date for Nominations: Monday, April 6, 2026
Scrutiny of Nominations: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Last Date for Withdrawal: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Date of Polling: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Phase 2: 142 Constituencies to Vote on April 29
The remaining 142 Assembly Constituencies will cast their ballots in the second and final phase just six days later.
Gazette Notification: Thursday, April 2, 2026
Last Date for Nominations: Thursday, April 9, 2026
Scrutiny of Nominations: Friday, April 10, 2026
Last Date for Withdrawal: Monday, April 13, 2026
Date of Polling: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Results on May 4
The political suspense will culminate on Monday, May 4, 2026, when the counting of votes for both phases will take place simultaneously. The ECI has mandated that the entire election process across the state must be fully completed by Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
With the dates now locked in, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is immediately in effect across West Bengal. Political parties are expected to rapidly escalate their ground campaigns and finalize their candidate lists as the state gears up for one of its most critical electoral battles.
Also read: Complete BJP & TMC Candidate List for All 294 Seats
