The Election Commission is likely to announce the assembly election dates for West Bengal and four other states on March 16. Following the full bench’s visit, discussions regarding the number of phases have intensified. With opposition parties pushing for fewer phases to minimize potential unrest, sources suggest the first phase could begin by mid-April.

A critical challenge remains the inclusion of approximately 6 million ‘pending’ voters. While the Supreme Court recently dismissed a plea regarding this, it has firmly directed the EC to ensure the electoral rolls are updated urgently. Currently, over 500 judicial officers are working on a war footing to clear the backlog. The Election Commission has assured that the status of these voters will be finalized before the deadline for filing nominations. All eyes are now on the official announcement to see how these legal hurdles are resolved ahead of the upcoming electoral battle.