The Election Commission of India on Monday announced that the West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in two phases, with polling scheduled on April 23 and April 29, 2026.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar revealed the schedule during a press conference, outlining the timeline for nominations, scrutiny and polling across the state.

Phase-wise polling plan across the state

According to the announced schedule, the first phase will cover 152 Assembly constituencies, while the second phase will include 142 constituencies, completing polling for all 294 seats of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

The gazette notification for the first phase will be issued on March 30, 2026, while the second phase notification will be issued on April 2, 2026. The last date for filing nominations will be April 6 for the first phase and April 9 for the second phase.

Scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for April 7 and April 10, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be April 9 and April 13, respectively, for the two phases.

Polling dates and vote counting schedule

Polling will take place on April 23 (first phase) and April 29 (second phase). The counting of votes will be conducted on May 4, 2026, with the entire election process expected to be completed by May 6, 2026.

The announcement formally sets the stage for a high-stakes electoral contest in the state, with political parties expected to intensify campaign activities across the coming weeks.