Election Commission to announce dates for assembly polls today
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will announce the schedule for upcoming Assembly elections on Friday. The ECI has called a press conference at 3:00pm, however, it has not specified the states for which it will announce the poll schedule. Elections are due in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra this year, and in Jharkhand early next year.
Terms of assemblies ending
The terms of the Haryana and Maharashtra Assemblies is ending in November, while the Jharkhand Assembly expires in January 2025. Polls in J&K are also due following the Supreme Court's upholding of Article 370, which set a September 30 deadline for holding elections. A delegation of the Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar completed its review of the security and administrative preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana this month.
J&K, Haryana elections might be held together
In the past, the ECI conducted assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana together. Jharkhand elections were held separately. This time, however, the poll panel may hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana first and Maharashtra and Jharkhand later, according to a report in The Indian Express. The report cites the poll panel's recent visits to Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.
J&K has been under central rule since 2018
Both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir assemblies have 90 seats each. J&K has been under central rule since June 19, 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government headed by the People's Democratic Party after alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party withdrew support for her coalition government. Manoj Sinha is the present Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of the UT.
