Maharashtra will go to polls in a single phase on the 20th of next month, while assembly elections in Jharkhand will be conducted in two phases on the 13th and 20th of November. The counting of votes will take place on the 23rd of next month in the two states. The Election Commission today announced the schedule for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly polls. Announcing the poll schedules in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the notification for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly election will be issued on the 22nd October and candidates can file their nominations till the 29th of October. He added that over one lakh polling booths will be set up for 9.63 crore voters in the state.
In Jharkhand, the notification for the first phase of voting will be issued on 18th of this month and candidates can make their nominations till the 25th of October. For the second phase of polling in the state, the notification will be issued on the 22nd October and the nomination can be filed till the 29th of October. The Chief Election Commissioner informed that 2.6 crore voters will exercise their franchise at over 26 thousand polling stations in Jharkhand. With the announcement of the poll schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in both states.
The Commission also announced the schedule for bye-election in 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats. Bye polls for 47 assembly Constituencies in different states and the Wayanad Parliamentary seat will be held on the 13th of next month. The bye polls for one assembly seat in Uttarakhand and Nanded Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra will be conducted on 20th November.
