The Election Commission of India (ECI) revealed the schedule for the forthcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand on Tuesday, October 15. Maharashtra will conduct its voting on November 20, while Jharkhand will hold its elections in two phases on November 13 and November 20. The results will be counted on November 23.
Before announcing the date of Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly polls, CEC Rajiv Kumar said, “I would like to congratulate voters in Haryana and J&K for their empowered participation in the polling. The people of J&K made the festival of democracy historic. They participated in large numbers, used their right to exercise franchise well and laid a strong foundation of democracy.”
Furthermore, he added, “The spirit shown in these elections will be remembered for a long time…The foundation that the people of J&K laid in Lok Sabha elections, a strong building was seen on it in Assembly elections. This public mandate has nurtured new hopes. Now it is over to the people of J&K to take this democratic journey forward.”
Jharkhand is set to witness elections with a total of 2.60 crore eligible voters. This voter base includes 1.31 crore male voters and 1.29 crore female voters. Notably, there are 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 66.84 lakh young voters in the state.
Kumar announced the timeline for the election process, stating that the Gazette notifications for the two polling phases will be issued on October 18 and 22, respectively. Candidates must submit their nominations by October 25 and 29. The scrutiny of these nominations will take place on October 28 and 30, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 30 and November 1 for each phase.
Senior citizens aged 85 and above will have the opportunity to vote from the comfort of their homes. Kumar emphasized, “They are entitled to their privacy during the voting process at home,” adding that videography will be conducted to ensure transparency and verification.
The current term of the Jharkhand assembly is set to conclude on January 5, 2025. Elections will be held across 81 constituencies, which comprise 44 General, 9 Scheduled Caste (SC), and 28 Scheduled Tribe (ST) seats.
On September 24, a delegation from the Election Commission of India (ECI), led by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), carried out a detailed review of the electoral preparations in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
In addition to the assembly elections, the poll panel has also announced dates for by-elections in 48 assembly seats and two parliamentary constituencies, ensuring a comprehensive electoral process in the state.
The highly anticipated Maharashtra Assembly elections are set to witness a fierce contest between two major alliances: the ruling Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, and the opposition coalition Maha Vikas Aghadi, consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena UBT, and NCP-SP.
The recent death of NCP leader Baba Siddique on October 12 has heightened tensions among the political factions. The Opposition has accused the Eknath Shinde-led government of allowing a significant deterioration in law and order across Maharashtra.
In response, key figures from the Maha Vikas Aghadi—Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Nana Patole—held a press conference on October 13. During this event, they unveiled a “chargesheet of corruption” against the Mahayuti government, outlining various alleged scams, mismanagement, and failures in maintaining law and order.
In Jharkhand, a similar political landscape is unfolding as alliances prepare for battle. The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition is optimistic about its chances, especially following the NDA’s near-sweep in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
The JMM alliance has declared its intention to contest all 81 seats in the upcoming election, asserting confidence in their ability to overcome the BJP’s “double-engine government.”
To strategize for the elections, the Jharkhand BJP’s core group is convening today under the leadership of BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The meeting will focus on candidate selection for all 81 constituencies.
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