The Election Commission of India (ECI) declared the Election schedule for the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. The schedule was released at a press conference held by the ECI on Wednesday at 3:30 pm. It elaborated regarding the election dates, the way of conduct, and the necessary timelines. The conference was held by the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sandhu.
Schedule Overview
Jharkhand
The general election for the Legislative Assembly of Jharkhand will be conducted in two phases for its 81 constituencies. The first voting phase will be on November 13, 2024, for 43 constituencies. The second voting phase will be on November 20, 2024, for the remaining 38 constituencies.
The votes will be counted on November 23, 2024, and the results will be announced on that day.
Maharashtra
The general election for the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra will be conducted in a single phase for its 288 constituencies. Voting will be held on November 20, 2024, and the votes will be counted on November 23, 2024, when the results will be announced.
Important updates from the Election Commission
The Election Commission has been updating the voters through their X account. Some of the essential updates from their press release and X account are mentioned hereunder:
- Increase in Polling Stations: To increase the participation of voters, the Election Commission has increased the Polling Stations in Maharashtra to 1,00,186 from 96,653 in 2019. Similarly, the Commission has increased the number of Polling Stations in Jharkhand from 29,464 in 2019 to 29,562.
- Management of Polling Stations by Women: To ensure that women take an active part in the electoral process, the Commission has directed that at least one polling station be managed exclusively by women and persons with disabilities in every Assembly Constituency.
- Inclusive Elections: According to the latest update by the Election Commission, 100% of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) have enrolled to vote in the states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
- Assured Minimum Facilities: The elections will be conducted while ensuring that the voters are provided with all basic facilities, such as drinking water, toilets, signage, a shed, and a ramp/wheelchair.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, during the press conference, said that “duniya main sabse bade loktantra ke roop main bharat har chunav main gold standards tay kar raha hai record bana raha hai.” He further stated that they are now stating the will and intent of the Election Commission at the time of the announcement of the election dates and they strive to abide by them.
What do the leaders say?
“We are fully prepared as the elections here were due and the Assembly’s term was ending on January 5, so the elections had to be held before that. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has panicked so much that it officially posted that it is a murder of democracy and they are holding elections before time,” BJP leader Pratul Shah Deo said in a statement given to ANI.
While talking to ANI, Congress leader Atul Londhe also discussed Maha Vikas Aghadi’s preparedness in Maharashtra: “The preparations of Maha Vikas Aghadi are almost complete. The seat-sharing formula has also been almost finalised. We are fully prepared, and the public is also fully prepared. This government is counting its last breaths. The people of Maharashtra are very intelligent; they understand everything.”
“The elections have been announced a month in advance; this will hamper some work but we are fully prepared for the elections because we have worked for the people from the beginning. We have faith that JMM and alliance government will be formed in Jharkhand again …” JMM MP Mahua Maji commented on the Election Commission’s announcement of dates for the Jharkhand Assembly Elections while talking to ANI.
Aditya Thackeray, while addressing the release of polling dates in Maharashtra, wrote on X,”The moment that we all, as Maharashtra, has been waiting for is here: November 20 is poll day. The change we want to bring, to drive away the Shinde– bjp that has looted Maharashtra over the past 2 years. We waited for justice but now justice will be done by the electorate. Jai Maharashtra!”
Recap of the 2019 Elections
In the 2019 assembly elections, Maharashtra and Jharkhand witnessed significant political shifts. In Maharashtra, the BJP and Shiv Sena coalition secured a majority with 161 seats. However, tensions over power-sharing led to a split between the BJP and Shiv Sena. In 2023, a rebellion by Eknath Shinde and NCP’s Ajit Pawar forced the then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to resign, and eventually, his coalition government fell.
In Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) emerged victorious, leading a coalition that won 47 seats, while the BJP faced a significant setback, securing only 25 seats. These elections marked a turning point in both states, reshaping alliances and voter sentiments ahead of future political contests.
Why are these assembly elections important?
Maharashtra
Post the June 2022 fallout between the Shiv Sena factions, these elections will feature an exciting battle between the ruling Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP) and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and NCP-SP). This will be the first time these factions will face scrutiny from the public, and it will be interesting to watch the results of this election.
Moreover, Baba Siddique’s recent sudden death has led to the Opposition questioning the state’s law and order situation under Eknath Shinde’s rule. In addition, there are allegations of scams, mismanagement, and lapses in law and order by the State Government.
Jharkhand
The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is hoping for a win after the NDA’s opposing alliance nearly crushed them in the Lok Sabha elections this year. JMM has announced that it will contest all 81 seats and will win against the BJP.
The BJP is also gearing up to prepare a strategy to win another state under its wing, and all top leaders are discussing it.
