New Delhi, Oct 15, 2024, Special Correspondent

New Delhi, Oct 15: The Election Commission Tuesday announced a single phase assembly poll in Maharashtra on November 20 and staggered elections in Jharkhand on November 13 and 20.

 

The counting of votes will take place on November 23 in both the states.

 

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told mediapersons that notification for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly election will be issued on October 22 and candidates can file their nominations till October 29. Over one lakh polling booths will be set up for 9.63 crore voters in the state, he said.

 

In Jharkhand, Kumar said, notification for the first phase of voting will be issued on October 18 and candidates can file their nominations till October 25. For the second phase of polling in the state, he said, the notification will be issued on October 22 and the nomination can be filed till October 29. 

 

The CEC stated that 2.6 crore voters can exercise their franchise at over 26,000 polling stations in Jharkhand.

 

With the announcement of the poll schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force with immediate effect in both states.

 

The EC also announced the schedule for bye-elections in 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats.

 

The 48 assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats where bypolls are being held are spread across 15 states - Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Punjab, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Sikkim.

 

While bye-elections for 47 assembly Constituencies in different states and the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat will be held on November 13, the bye-elections for one assembly seat in Uttarakhand and Nanded Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra will be conducted on November 20.