Election Commission Announces Assembly Poll Schedule for Five States

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission, on Monday, unveiled the schedule for assembly elections in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

As per the EC announcement, Mizoram will go to elections on November 7, Chhattisgarh on November 7 and November 17, Madhya Pradesh on November 17, Rajasthan on November 23 and Telangana on November 30.

Vote counting will occur on December 3 across all these states.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar made the announcement during a press conference in New Delhi. Chhattisgarh's elections will be conducted in two phases.

The Model Code of Conduct has been implemented with the declaration of the poll dates.

These state elections hold significance as they precede the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April-May next year. Major political parties, including the Congress and BJP, are set to contest fiercely in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Meanwhile, Telangana is expected to witness a triangular battle involving the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Congress and BJP.

Nearly 16 crore voters will be eligible to vote during the five assembly elections in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, the Election Commission said on Monday.

Addressing a press conference to announce the schedule for the last set of assembly elections ahead of next year's Lok Sabha polls, Chief Election Commissiner Rajiv Kumar said these five states will have 1.77 lakh polling stations. Of these, 1.01 lakh stations will have webcasting facilities.

More than 8,000 polling stations will be managed by women, he said.

Polls in the five states will have 8.2 crore male and 7.8 crore female voters, the Election Commission said. There are 60.2 lakh first-time voters. "We have gathered here after a gap of six months. These elections are significant for the country and after this we will meet for the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections," Kumar said.

"We have met all stakeholders, including political parties and enforcement agencies, while preparing for assembly elections in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, MP and Telangana," he said.

The CEC added that the Election Commission has placed special emphasis on making electoral rolls inclusive and the focus will also be on "roll-to-poll" to ensure that all voters come to vote. While the Congress is in power in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP, Telangana by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and Mizoram by NDA partner Mizo National Front (MNF).

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