New Delhi: The Election Commission announced on Tuesday (October 15, 2024) the dates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
Elections in Maharashtra will be held on November 20 while the results will be announced on November 23, CEC Rajiv Kumar said.
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On the other hand, Jharkhand will vote in two phases on November 13 and November 20 and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.
The term of the Maharashtra Assembly ends on November 26, while the Jharkhand Assembly’s term concludes on January 5, 2025.
The Maharashtra Assembly election will witness a contest between the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, and the ruling Mahayuti Alliance comprising BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).
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The elections for Maharashtra were delayed earlier this month when polls were held in Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana, due to security considerations in J&K, according to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar.
Besides the general elections for both state assemblies, the EC may also announce by-elections for three Lok Sabha seats and at least 47 assembly seats currently vacant.
Election Schedule:
Jharkhand (Two-phase election):
- Number of constituencies: 81
- Dates of issue of notification: October 18, October 22
- Last dates for nomination: October 25, October 29
- Scrutiny of nominations: October 28, October 30
- Last dates for withdrawal: October 30, November 1
- Polling dates: November 13, November 20
- Counting of votes: November 23
Maharashtra (Single-phase election):
- Number of constituencies: 288
- Date of issue of notification: October 22
- Last date for nomination: October 29
- Scrutiny of nominations: October 30
- Last date for withdrawal: November 4
- Polling date: November 20
- Counting of votes: November 23
CEC Rajiv Kumar’s Concerns
During the announcement, CEC Rajiv Kumar voiced concerns about low voter turnout in urban areas. He highlighted Colaba’s 40% turnout in the Lok Sabha polls as worrying, while Doda, a rural area, saw over 70% turnout. Kumar also cited low polling figures in affluent areas of Faridabad and Gurugram, where turnout was as low as 20%.
Measures for Fair Elections
The Election Commission plans to combat the use of money power by conducting checks at airports and ensuring a level playing field for all political parties.
To improve voter participation, the EC has launched a voter helpline app to help voters locate polling booths, and the C-Vigil app allows citizens to report electoral misconduct anonymously, with action promised within 90 minutes.
Voting Accessibility
The EC has made provisions for senior citizens above 85 years and people with disabilities to vote from home using Form 12 D. Videography will be employed during the process for accountability. Additionally, polling booths will feature improved seating arrangements to accommodate those waiting in line.
Election Data
- Jharkhand: Over 2.6 crore voters, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters, will elect 81 MLAs.
- Maharashtra: With 9.63 crore voters, the state will have over one lakh polling stations across 52,000 locations.