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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the dates for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections, scheduled for November 2024. Maharashtra will go to the polls on November 20, while Jharkhand will hold elections in two phases on November 13 and 20. The counting of votes for both states will be held on November 23.
The ECI revealed these details during a press conference in New Delhi on Tuesday, October 15. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Gyanesh Kumar and Sukbhir Singh Sandhu, addressed the media to announce the election schedule.
For the Maharashtra assembly elections, the Gazette notification will be issued on October 22, with the last date for filing nominations being October 29. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 30, and the final date for withdrawing candidatures is set for November 4.
The term of the 288-member Maharashtra assembly is due to end on November 26, while Jharkhand's assembly term ends on January 5, 2025. The upcoming Maharashtra election is expected to be a crucial contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising Shiv Sena-UBT, NCP-Sharad Pawar faction, and Congress) and the ruling Mahayuti Alliance (comprising BJP, Shiv Sena-Eknath Shinde faction, and NCP-Ajit Pawar faction).
In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP secured 105 seats in Maharashtra, while the Congress won 44 seats. However, the BJP's performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections witnessed a decline, winning only nine out of 48 seats, compared to 23 seats in the previous term. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, on the other hand, won 30 Lok Sabha seats.
Jharkhand, with its 81 constituencies (44 General, 9 SC, and 28 ST), is expected to hold elections by December 2024. The state's assembly term ends on January 5, 2025. On September 24, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar reviewed the poll preparations in Ranchi, urging agencies to curtail money power in the upcoming elections. In the 2019 Jharkhand elections, which were held in five phases, the BJP spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, expressed confidence in a pro-incumbency vote for the BJP, criticizing Hemant Soren's governance and predicting a BJP-led government in the state.
The Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections in 2019 played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of both states. The outcomes and major party alliances had a substantial impact on governance in these regions.
The upcoming elections are likely to be closely watched by political observers and voters alike, as they offer an opportunity to assess the performance of incumbent governments and provide a platform for new political alliances to emerge.