EC to visit West Bengal next week, set stage for poll announcement

EC sources said the Commission is likely to visit West Bengal after returning from Kerala.

Senior EC officials held a virtual review meeting with West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal and other state government officials on Monday to assess preparedness ahead of the Commission’s visit, an EC source said.Senior EC officials held a virtual review meeting with West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal and other state government officials on Monday to assess preparedness ahead of the Commission’s visit, an EC source said. (Express File Photo)

THE ELECTION Commission is likely to complete its visits to the poll-bound states by reviewing preparations in West Bengal early next week, setting the stage for the announcement of polls.

Elections to the Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are due as the terms of the Houses expire in May and June. The Commission has already visited Assam, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu last month to review preparations.

The commission, comprising Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi, is scheduled to visit Kerala from Thursday to Saturday. EC sources said the Commission is likely to visit West Bengal after returning from Kerala. The EC could visit the state on March 9 and March 10. Usually, the EC makes the poll announcement in Delhi just days after completing its visits to the poll-bound states.

Senior EC officials held a virtual review meeting with West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal and other state government officials on Monday to assess preparedness ahead of the Commission’s visit, an EC source said.

‘First elections’ after SIR

The upcoming elections will be the first ones held in the respective states and Union Territory after the completion of the EC’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. As opposed to the annual and pre-poll Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls, in which the existing rolls are updated, the EC had in June last year decided to prepare the rolls afresh.

Following the SIR order, the exercise began in Bihar in June 2025, after which it was rolled out in nine states and three UTs, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry, in October 2025. All registered electors were required to submit enumeration forms to remain on the electoral rolls and some categories of electors had to submit documents to establish their eligibility, including citizenship.

The SIR exercise, which concluded last month, has led to the number of electors in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry decreasing by 11.55%, 3.22%, 8% and 7.57%, respectively. The EC had left Assam out from the SIR exercise, citing the pending publication of the National Register of Citizens in the state.

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Last time, the EC had announced the five elections on February 26, 2021, with polling held in March and April that year.

Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More

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