Chennai: The election process for the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is set to enter a crucial phase, with the filing of nominations beginning Monday, for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for April 23.
The counting of votes will be held on May 4, with results to be declared the same day.
With the Model Code of Conduct already in force, political activity has intensified across the state. Major parties are in the final stages of selecting candidates and announcing star campaigners, while campaign strategies are being fine-tuned for what is expected to be a keenly contested election.
According to election officials, nomination filing will commence at 11 a.m. on March 30 and continue until April 6. However, despite an eight-day window being officially provided, candidates will effectively have only four working days to submit their papers due to a series of holidays.
Nominations can be filed only on March 30 (Monday), April 2 (Wednesday), April 4 (Friday), and April 6 (Monday).
Filing will not take place on March 31 due to Mahavir Jayanti, April 1 owing to annual bank account closing, April 3 on account of Good Friday, and April 5 being a Sunday.
Candidates must submit their nomination papers to the respective Returning Officers within the stipulated time.
The Election Commission has also enabled an online facility through the Suvidha portal (https://suvidha.cci.gov.in), allowing candidates to complete parts of the nomination process digitally.
Officials have warned of a heavy rush on April 6, the final day for filing nominations.
Given the limited number of working days, candidates have been advised to keep all documents ready in advance to avoid last-minute delays and overcrowding at submission centres.
The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on April 7, while the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 9.
With the nomination process beginning, the electoral contest in Tamil Nadu is entering a decisive phase, paving the way for an intense campaign in the run-up to polling day.
(IANS)
