ECI lists 1,955 candidates for Assembly polls and by
The Election Commission of India on Friday said a total of 1,955 candidates remain in the fray for the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with by-elections in six states. The poll schedule was announced on March 15, with April 9 set as the voting date for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry and select by-polls.
According to the ECI, 250 candidates withdrew their nominations by the March 26 deadline, bringing the total number of contestants for the general elections to 1,906 across 296 Assembly constituencies. Assam accounts for 722 candidates across 126 seats, Kerala has 890 candidates in 140 constituencies, and Puducherry has 294 candidates across 30 seats.
In the by-elections, a total of 49 candidates are contesting across five Assembly constituencies. Karnataka has the highest number of candidates at 34 across two seats, followed by Nagaland and Tripura with six candidates each, Goa with three, and one other constituency making up the total.
The Commission said Returning Officers will publish the final list of contesting candidates in the Official Gazette as per the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. All nomination-related documents will be securely sealed and retained in official custody.
In a voter-friendly move, the ECI added that ballot units of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will display coloured photographs of candidates along with their names, serial numbers and party symbols in a larger font to enhance clarity and ease of voting.
