New Delhi, March 25 – The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Wednesday that the scrutiny of nomination papers for the 2026 Assembly elections and by-elections has been completed, solidifying the field of candidates in several key states that will go to the polls next month.
The elections are scheduled for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, along with by-elections in six states.
The deadline for filing nominations for Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry – which will vote on April 9 – was March 23. Following the scrutiny, a total of 2,140 candidates remain in the running for the Assembly elections across the three states and one Union Territory.
According to an official press note issued by the Commission, the scrutiny process was carried out by Returning Officers on March 24 and concluded for all states and the Union Territory going to the polls, as well as for the by-elections.
The exercise was conducted in the presence of candidates and their authorized representatives, with full videography to ensure transparency.
Kerala has the highest number of candidates, with 985 contesting 140 seats, followed by Assam with 789 candidates for 126 seats. Puducherry has 366 candidates for its 30-member Assembly.
In the by-elections, a total of 66 candidates are contesting across five Assembly constituencies. Karnataka has the highest number with 50 candidates across two seats, while Goa has three candidates, Nagaland has seven, and Tripura has six.
The Election Commission stated that, in accordance with established procedure, the list of validly nominated candidates has been prepared and displayed on notice boards, along with photographs of the candidates to aid voter identification.
However, the final picture of the contest will emerge after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations, which is set for March 26 at 3 p.m.
The ECI reiterated that all processes have been carried out in accordance with laid-down norms, with an emphasis on fairness and transparency. With scrutiny now complete, attention will shift to the withdrawal phase, after which the electoral battle lines will be clearly drawn across the states heading into polling day.