India: Poll body ECI announces dates for Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly elections

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday (Oct 15) announced the dates for the upcomingLegislative Assembly Election in the statesof Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The announcement comes days after the elections were successfully organised in Haryana and Jammu andKashmir by the Indian poll body.

Maharashtra election date

While Maharashtra will go to polls in a single phase, Jharkhand will have a two-phase poll process, with the results set to be announced on November 23.

The western Indian state of Maharashtra will go to polls on November 20 with the last date of securing nominations being October 29. The last date of withdrawal of candidature will be November 4.

Jharkhand election dates

Meanwhile, the voters in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand will cast their votes in two phases on November 13 and November 20. The last of securing nomination for the first phase is October 25 while for the latter it is October 29. The candidates can withdraw their names for both phases on October 30 and November 1 respectively.

"1,86,00 polling stations will be set up in Maharashtra, while over 29,000 polling stations will be set up in Jharkhand. Around 96 million people are eligible to cast their vote in Maharashtra, while 26 million will go to poll in Jharkhand," said Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

Kumar added that "every senior citizen above 85 can vote from home" and they will be entitled to their privacy as well during the vote. However, videography of the process will be done for proof.

Schedule for General Election to Legislative Assembly of #Maharashtra,2024 to be held in a single phase.

Details in images👇#MaharashtraAssemblyElections2024 #ECI #Schedule pic.twitter.com/XF4FXebtJR — Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) October 15, 2024

Schedule for General Election to Legislative Assembly of #Jharkhand to be held in two phases.

Details in images👇#JharkhandAssemblyElections2024 #ECI #Schedule pic.twitter.com/mVOfJ5D7Pw — Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) October 15, 2024

Maharashtra polls

The voters will be casting their ballot for candidates on 288 Assembly seats. The majority mark is 145 with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) currently having 103 MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha. The saffron party is in coalition with Shiv Senawhich has 40 seats and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar) which has 43 seats.

The opposition alliance in the state is called the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) and comprises Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar).

Watch |Haryana Elections: BJP Delivers Shocker To Congress In Haryana Assembly Polls | WION Originals

Jharkhand polls

As for Jharkhand, 81 Assembly seats will be up for grabs with the magical number being 41. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) emerged as the single largest party in 2019 with 30 seats, followed by BJP with 25 seats and Congres with 16 seats.

The UPA alliance comprising of JMM, Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be hoping to retain their power in the state and keep BJP on the Opposition benches yet again.

(With inputs from agencies)