General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and bye-elections 2026

Implementation of Dry-Day Posted On: 20 APR 2026 3:02PM by PIB Delhi Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and bye-elections in 6 states on March 15, 2026. Polling in the State of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase-I) is scheduled for April 23, 2026 (Thursday), and for West Bengal (Phase-II) it will be conducted on April 29, 2026 (Wednesday), with the counting of votes for all polling States and Union Territories to take place on May 4, 2026 (Monday). Section 135C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides that no spirituous, fermented or intoxicating liquor or other substances of like nature shall be sold, given or distributed at a hotel, eating house, tavern, shop or any other place, public or private, within a polling area during the period of forty-eight hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of poll for any election in the polling area. In view of the statutory provision as above, 'Dry day' shall be declared and notified under the relevant State/Union Territory laws as is appropriate during 48 hours , ending with the hours fixed for conclusion of poll with respect to polling day for an election in that polling area where General Election to Legislative Assembly is being held. This will include the date of re-poll, if any . The Commission also directs that the date on which Counting of votes is to be taken up i.e. May 4, 2026 (Monday) shall also be declared 'Dry Day' under the relevant laws in poll going State/UT. No liquor shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs and other establishments selling or serving liquor shall be permitted to sell/ serve liquor to anyone whosoever , on the aforesaid days. Non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants etc. and hotels functioning under different categories of licenses for possession and supply of liquor, shall not be permitted to serve liquor on these days . The storage of liquor by individuals shall be curtailed during the above period and the restrictions provided in the excise law on the storage of liquor in unlicensed premises shall be vigorously enforced. ********** PK/GDH/RP (Release ID: 2253728) Visitor Counter : 90702 Read this release in: Malayalam , Urdu , हिन्दी , Bengali , Bengali-TR , Assamese , Manipuri , Gujarati , Tamil , Telugu , Kannada Election Commission General Elections to Legislative Assemblies and bye-elections 2026 Implementation of Dry-Day Posted On: 20 APR 2026 3:02PM by PIB Delhi Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and bye-elections in 6 states on March 15, 2026. Polling in the State of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase-I) is scheduled for April 23, 2026 (Thursday), and for West Bengal (Phase-II) it will be conducted on April 29, 2026 (Wednesday), with the counting of votes for all polling States and Union Territories to take place on May 4, 2026 (Monday). Section 135C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides that no spirituous, fermented or intoxicating liquor or other substances of like nature shall be sold, given or distributed at a hotel, eating house, tavern, shop or any other place, public or private, within a polling area during the period of forty-eight hours ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of poll for any election in the polling area. In view of the statutory provision as above, 'Dry day' shall be declared and notified under the relevant State/Union Territory laws as is appropriate during 48 hours , ending with the hours fixed for conclusion of poll with respect to polling day for an election in that polling area where General Election to Legislative Assembly is being held. This will include the date of re-poll, if any . The Commission also directs that the date on which Counting of votes is to be taken up i.e. May 4, 2026 (Monday) shall also be declared 'Dry Day' under the relevant laws in poll going State/UT. No liquor shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs and other establishments selling or serving liquor shall be permitted to sell/ serve liquor to anyone whosoever , on the aforesaid days. Non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants etc. and hotels functioning under different categories of licenses for possession and supply of liquor, shall not be permitted to serve liquor on these days . The storage of liquor by individuals shall be curtailed during the above period and the restrictions provided in the excise law on the storage of liquor in unlicensed premises shall be vigorously enforced. ********** PK/GDH/RP (Release ID: 2253728) Implementation of Dry-Day<br/>" /> <span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and bye-elections in 6 states on March 15, 2026.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">Polling in the State of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase-I) is scheduled for <strong>April 23, 2026 (Thursday), </strong>and for West Bengal (Phase-II) it will be conducted on <strong>April 29, 2026 (Wednesday), </strong>with the counting of votes for all polling States and Union Territories to take place on May 4, 2026 (Monday).</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px"><strong>Section 135C </strong>of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides that <strong>no spirituous, fermented or intoxicating liquor or other substances </strong>of like nature shall be sold, given or distributed at a hotel, eating house, tavern, shop or any other place, public or private, within a polling area during the period of <strong>forty-eight hours </strong>ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of poll for any election in the polling area.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">In view of the statutory provision as above, <strong>'Dry day' </strong>shall be declared and notified under the relevant State/Union Territory laws as is <strong>appropriate during 48 hours</strong>, ending with the hours fixed for conclusion of poll with respect to polling day for an election in that polling area where General Election to Legislative Assembly is being held. This will include the <strong>date of re-poll, if any</strong>.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">The Commission also directs that the date on which <strong>Counting of votes </strong>is to be taken up i.e. <strong>May 4, 2026 (Monday) </strong>shall also be declared 'Dry Day' under the relevant laws in poll going State/UT.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">No liquor shops, hotels, restaurants, clubs and other establishments selling or serving liquor shall be <strong>permitted to sell/ serve liquor to anyone whosoever</strong>, on the aforesaid days.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">Non-proprietary clubs, star hotels, restaurants etc. and hotels functioning under different categories of licenses for possession and supply of liquor, shall not be permitted to <strong>serve liquor on these days</strong>.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">The storage of liquor by individuals <strong>shall be curtailed during the above period </strong>and the restrictions provided in the excise law on the storage of liquor in <strong>unlicensed premises </strong>shall be vigorously enforced.</span></span></li> <p style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">**********</span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><span style="font-size:16px">PK/GDH/RP</span></span></strong></p> " /> var mPlayer = document.getElementById("background_music"); 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