New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced the much-anticipated polling schedule for Maharashtra and Jharkhand, alongside by-elections in multiple constituencies across the country.
According to the ECI’s announcement, Maharashtra will go to the polls on November 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23. Jharkhand will hold elections in two phases, on November 13 and November 20, with results to be declared on November 23 for both states.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) emphasized the commission’s commitment to conducting “free and fair elections,” citing the successful elections recently held in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir as a benchmark.
Maharashtra Polls
Maharashtra, one of India’s most populous states, boasts a total of 9.63 crore eligible voters, including 4.97 crore male and 4.66 crore female voters.
Additionally, around 20.93 lakh first-time voters will participate in this election, marking a significant milestone for the state’s youth electorate. Voters will cast their ballots at 1,00,186 polling booths spread across the state.
In addition to state elections, Maharashtra will also see a by-election for the Nanded Parliamentary constituency on November 20. The outcome of this by-election will also be determined on November 23.
Jharkhand’s Two-Phase Polling
Jharkhand’s electoral process will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase of voting on November 13 and the second on November 20. The state has 2.6 crore eligible voters, including 1.31 crore male and 1.29 crore female voters.
First-time voters in Jharkhand stand at 11.84 lakh. The state will have 29,562 polling stations to accommodate voters across its constituencies.
By-Elections in Other States
Aside from Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the ECI has also announced several by-elections:
- Kerala will hold by-polls for 47 Assembly constituencies and 1 Parliamentary seat (Wayanad) on November 13.
- Uttarakhand will witness a by-election for one Assembly constituency on November 20.
- Counting for these by-polls, along with the state elections, will be conducted on November 23.
