According to the poll panel, voting across the state will take place on April 23, while the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
Also Read: EC announces poll dates for five assemblies; West Bengal in two phases
The ECI also announced that the Union Territory of Puducherry will go to the polls on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.
Check key dates here:
| State/UT | Polling Date | Counting of Votes |
| Tamil Nadu | April 23, 2026 | May 4, 2026 |
| Puducherry | April 9, 2026 | May 4, 2026 |
The announcement sets the stage for a high-stakes political contest in one of India’s most politically vibrant states.
Read more: Puducherry election date 2026: ECI announces Puducherry Assembly poll schedule, voting to be held on April 9, results on May 4The election will decide whether the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), led by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, secures a second consecutive term in office, or if the Opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), under Edappadi K. Palaniswami as its chief ministerial face, manages to reclaim power and return to Fort St. George.
What happened during the last elections?
In the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) won with 133 seats. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) followed with 66 seats. Congress stood at 18 seats. The state saw a voter turnout of 76.6 per cent.
Prior to that, in the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections, AIADMK took the lead with 134 seats, DMK won 89 seats, followed by Congress at 8 seats. The voter turnout was 73.6 per cent.
In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly Elections, the All India N. R. Congress (AINRC) led with 10 seats. DMK got 6 seats, followed by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress at 6 seats each. The voter turnout was 84.8 per cent.
Before that, in the 2016 Puducherry Assembly Elections, Congress won with 15 seats, followed by AINRC at 8 seats, AIADMK at 4 seats and DMK at 2 seats. The voter turnout was 83.6 per cent.
