**Summary of Election Commission of India Press Release: General Elections and Bye-elections 2026**
**Overview**
On April 14, 2026, the Election Commission of India (ECI) provided an update regarding the General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, as well as bye-elections in six states, following the initial schedule announcement on March 15, 2026.
**West Bengal Election Timeline (Phase-II)**
The ECI confirmed the following critical dates for the second phase of the West Bengal elections:
* **Polling Date:** April 29, 2026.
* **Last Date for Filing Nominations:** April 9, 2026.
* **Scrutiny of Nominations:** April 10, 2026.
* **Last Date for Withdrawal of Candidature:** April 13, 2026 (by 3:00 PM).
**Candidate Statistics for West Bengal**
Following the withdrawal period, a total of 2,926 candidates are contesting the elections in West Bengal. The breakdown is as follows:
| Name of State/UT | Number of Assembly Constituencies (ACs) | Total Candidates (After Withdrawals) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| West Bengal (Phase-I) | 152 | 1,478 |
| West Bengal (Phase-II) | 142 | 1,448 |
| **Total** | **294** | **2,926** |
**Administrative and Statutory Procedures**
* **Official Gazette:** Returning Officers (ROs) are mandated to publish the final list of contesting candidates in the Official Gazette as per the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
* **Document Security:** All nomination, scrutiny, and withdrawal papers must be kept in the sealed custody of the RO within their respective constituencies.
**Transparency and Voter Information Initiatives**
* **ECINet App:** Citizens may access the “Know Your Candidate” tab to view candidate details, including educational qualifications, criminal antecedents, assets, and liabilities. Affidavits are also available for download.
* **EVM Enhancements:** To assist voters, Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) ballot papers will feature colored photographs of the candidates. Details such as serial numbers, names, and symbols will be displayed in a large font size for improved readability.
**Reference Information**
* **Release ID:** 2251819
* **Origin:** PIB Delhi
* **Available Languages:** Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, and Tamil.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission of India (ECI): The primary regulatory body responsible for conducting the General Elections and announcing the official candidate lists.
Conduct of Election Rules, 1961: The statutory rules governing the procedure for Returning Officers to publish the list of contesting candidates in the Official Gazette.
West Bengal: The primary state of applicability for the detailed candidate statistics and election phases mentioned in the document.
ECINet App: The digital application platform used by citizens to view candidate details, affidavits, and financial assets.
Know Your Candidate: An ECI transparency initiative allowing voters to access the backgrounds, educational qualifications, and criminal antecedents of contesting candidates.
Election Commission
Election Commission of India
General Elections and bye-elections 2026: 2,926 candidates
in the fray for the West Bengal elections
Posted On: 14 APR 2026 1:44PM by PIB Delhi
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative
Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and bye-elections in 6 states on
March 15,2026.
1. The last date of filing of nominations for the State of West Bengal (Phase-II), which goes to
polls on April 29, 2026 was April 9, 2026, while the date of scrutiny of nominations for West
Bengal (Phase-II), was April 10, 2026 and the last date of withdrawal of nominations was
April 13, 2026 by 3:00 PM.
2. After the last date of withdrawal of nominations, details of the total number of candidates for
West Bengal are as under:
Sl. Name of State/UT No. of ACs Total No. of candidates
No. after Withdrawals
1. West Bengal (Phase-I) 152 1,478
2. West Bengal (Phase-II) 142 1,448
4. The Returning Officers (ROs) shall publish the list of contesting candidates in the Official
Gazette as per the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
5. ROs shall place all the election papers and proceedings relating to nominations, scrutiny and
withdrawal of candidatures in each constituency together in his/her custody in a sealed
packet/envelope with the seal.
6. Citizens can view the details of their candidates including their educational qualifications,
criminal antecedents, assets and liabilities and download their affidavits from the “Know
Your Candidate” tab on the ECINet App.
7. Moreover, in line with ECI’s initiative, the EVM Ballot papers will bear the coloured
photographs of the candidates and their details including serial number, name and symbol
in large font for the ease and convenience of the voters.
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Read this release in: Urdu , ही , Bengali , Gujarati , Tamil