4 States, Puducherry to go to polls between April 4 and May 16

The Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam and Union Territory of Puducherry will be held between April 4, 2016 and May 16, 2016, spread over 43 days. It will be a single-day polling in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry on May 16, while it will be in six phases in West Bengal and two in Assam. Counting of votes in all the States will be held on May 19, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi announced on Friday. Symbol for NOTA, all-women booths The elections will also see for the first time a symbol, which has been created by the National School of Design, allotted to NOTA (None of the above) that will be placed at the bottom of the list of candidates. Noting that voters are in the focus of the Commission, Mr. Zaidi said all booths will have seven basic facilities and there will also be all-women polling booths. If possible polling centres will be set up in blind schools, leprosy centres to ensure inclusiveness.   Agencies