Parties Announce Candidates for State Polls in Four States

As India gears up for a series of state assembly elections in the coming months, political parties across West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala announced candidate lists, alliance shifts, and strategic preparations on Sunday, signaling heightened activity just weeks before key polls.

In West Bengal, where voting is set to begin in two phases starting late April, the Election Commission prepared to release the first supplementary voters list on Monday, compiling around 60 lakh names under scrutiny for discrepancies. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, after consulting central paramilitary forces, confirmed the rollout following a Supreme Court-mandated review by 705 judicial officers appointed by Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul. The list, delayed from March 20 due to holidays, will first be distributed to polling booths for physical verification before online upload. Officials estimated that nearly 27 lakh names had been processed by March 20, with about 10 lakh potentially facing deletion, though final figures remain pending. Security measures include two police personnel per appellate tribunal, led by 19 former judges across 23 districts, to handle voter...