Credit: PTI Photo The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the dates for the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, alongside bypolls for several Assembly and Lok
Credit: PTI Photo
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the dates for the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, alongside bypolls for several Assembly and Lok Sabha seats across the country. The Maharashtra Assembly election, covering 288 seats, will be held on November 20, 2024, while Jharkhand’s election will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, on November 13, will cover 43 constituencies, and the second phase, on November 20, will include 38 constituencies. The counting of votes for both states will take place on November 23.
Along with the Assembly elections, bypolls are scheduled for 48 Assembly seats and two Lok Sabha constituencies across 15 states. High-profile parliamentary bypolls include the Wayanad seat in Kerala, vacated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he chose to retain his Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra’s Nanded parliamentary seat, left vacant by the passing of Congress MP Vasantrao Balwantrao Chavan, will also witness bypolls.
The bypolls for Wayanad and 47 Assembly seats will be held on November 13, coinciding with Jharkhand’s first phase of voting. The bypolls for Nanded and Kedarnath Assembly seats will take place on November 20, alongside the Maharashtra election and Jharkhand’s second phase.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, during a press conference in New Delhi on October 15, 2024, provided key details about the elections. Maharashtra has approximately 9.63 crore eligible voters, including over 20.93 lakh teenagers aged 18 and 19. Jharkhand has more than 2.60 crore eligible voters, with over 11.84 lakh in the 18 to 19 age group. The CEC emphasized the importance of strict adherence to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), which came into effect immediately upon the election announcement.
Kumar stated that the Election Commission has implemented measures for stringent enforcement of the MCC, particularly in the initial 72 hours and the final 72 hours leading up to the polls. This includes guidelines to ensure free, fair, and credible elections, with the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to assist local law enforcement.
The CEC also highlighted the Commission’s focus on monitoring candidates’ election expenditure. The deployment of expenditure observers, flying squads, static and video surveillance teams, and enforcement agencies will help ensure compliance with expenditure limits and prevent the misuse of funds.
Central forces will play a significant role in maintaining law and order throughout the election period. The CAPF deployment will supplement local police efforts to guarantee peaceful polling across Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and the states holding bypolls.
Apart from the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, bypolls will take place in states including Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
However, bypolls have not been announced for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal or the Milkipur Assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh, as election petitions related to the winning candidates are currently pending in the High Courts.
bring you uplifting news and inspiring stories from across India. Stay tuned and subscribe now for our free monthly newspaper, delivered right to your doorstep!
