In a major political development separate from the ongoing global conflicts, the Election Commission of India is expected to announce the schedule for assembly elections in five Indian states today at around 4 PM. According to reports, the upcoming elections will be held in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry. The Election Commission has already completed visits to these states over the past 15–20 days to review election preparations. Sources suggest that the elections in West Bengal could take place in multiple phases, possibly up to four phases due to security concerns. Meanwhile, elections in Assam may be conducted in one or two phases, while the remaining states are likely to vote in a single phase. Political campaigning is already in full swing across these states. In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will attempt to retain power for another term. In Assam, the government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma from the Bharatiya Janata Party will seek another victory after winning the previous two elections. One of the key issues being discussed ahead of the elections is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. The matter has even reached the Supreme Court of India, which directed that the process be monitored by judicial officers. While final voter lists have been released in most states, the final list for West Bengal is still pending, with a supplementary voter list expected soon. Security is another major concern, especially in West Bengal, where election-related violence has been reported in the past. To ensure peaceful voting, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are expected to be deployed in large numbers in sensitive constituencies.

