The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly elections for 2024 on Tuesday, October 15. Maharashtra will hold its polls on November 20, while Jharkhand will conduct voting in two phases on November 13 and November 20. The results for both states will be counted on November 23.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar outlined key dates: the Gazette notification for Maharashtra’s assembly election will be issued on October 22, nominations must be filed by October 29, scrutiny will take place on October 30, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 4. The term of Maharashtra’s 288-member assembly ends on November 26, while Jharkhand’s assembly term concludes on January 5, 2025. There are approximately 9.63 crore eligible voters in Maharashtra and 2.6 crore in Jharkhand.
Additionally, bye-elections for 47 assembly seats and the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat will occur on November 13. The upcoming Maharashtra election will feature a significant contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising Shiv Sena-UBT, NCP-Sharad Pawar faction, and Congress) and the ruling Mahayuti Alliance (including BJP, Shiv Sena-Eknath Shinde faction, and NCP-Ajit Pawar faction).
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP secured 105 seats, while Congress won 44. However, in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP’s performance declined, winning only nine out of 48 seats compared to 23 in the previous term, whereas the Maha Vikas Aghadi garnered 30 seats.
For Jharkhand, the elections will cover 81 constituencies (44 General, 9 SC, 28 ST) by December 2024, with the assembly’s term ending on January 5, 2025. During a review of election preparations in Ranchi, Rajiv Kumar emphasized the need to combat financial influence in elections.
In the 2019 Jharkhand elections, held in five phases from November 30 to December 20, the results were announced on December 23. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari expressed confidence in the party’s prospects, criticizing the governance of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and predicting a BJP-led government in the state.
These upcoming elections are crucial for both Maharashtra and Jharkhand, as the outcomes will significantly influence the political landscape and governance in these regions.
