Assembly Election 2024 Date Live Updates: Voting In Maharashtra On Nov 20, Jharkhand To Vote In Two Phases On Nov 13, 20; Results On Nov 23

Jharkhand to vote in two phases - on 13th November and 20th November. Counting of votes on 23rd November.

The voting in Maharashtra will be held on November 20 in a single phase, announces CEC Rajiv Kumar. The counting of votes will be held on November 23.

"First of all I would like to congratulate voters in Haryana and J&K for their empowered participation in the polling. The people of J&K made the festival of democracy historic. They participated in large numbers, used their right to exercise franchise well and laid a strong foundation of democracy...The spirit shown in these elections will be remembered for a long time...The foundation that the people of J&K laid in Lok Sabha elections, a strong building was seen on it in Assembly elections. This public mandate has nurtured new hopes. Now it is over to the people of J&K to take this democratic journey forward," CEC Rajiv Kumar said. ,

#WATCH | Delhi: CEC Rajiv Kumar says, "First of all I would like to congratulate voters in Haryana and J&K for their empowered participation in the polling. The people of J&K made the festival of democracy historic. They participated in large numbers, used their right to exercise… pic.twitter.com/S2jiNVwyhC, — ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2024

The Election Commission of India holds a press conference in Delhi. Dates for Assembly elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra to be announced shortly.

As the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) accused the ECI of favouring the BJP, Congress leader Udit Raj on Tuesday said it was correct that the Election Commission of India gets the schedule "made" by the BJP leaders. JMM leader Manoj Pandey expressed his worries, saying, "The election is to be announced today, but BJP leaders got information about it yesterday. This is a very serious matter. Does the commission work at the behest of BJP leaders? It is a serious matter to keep the commission as a puppet."

Udit Raj, as quoted by IANS said, "Whatever, he is saying is right. The ECI gets the schedule made by the BJP. Lok Sabha elections were held in seven phases, what was right? The ECI was not impartial in that. The Haryana results are proof that the ECI was dishonest in that too."

As opposition parties once again raised the bogey of EVM manipulation ahead of the Election Commission announcement on poll dates for Maharashtra and Jharkhand, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday said that the public has answered the questions by participating in voting.

Kumar said, "The public answers questions by participating in the voting. As far as the EVMs are concerned, they are 100 per cent foolproof. If they raise questions today again, we will tell them again."

As Maharashtra is set for the Assembly elections, both MahaYuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi have said they are ready for the poll battle. MahaYuti comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP is banking on a slew of welfare and development schemes to retain power while Maha Vikas Aghadi is approaching the voters riding on anti-incumbency. Both have indicated that it will be a battle for prestige.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the JMM-led alliance will contest all 81 seats in the upcoming assembly elections. Soren expressed confidence in the party's electoral preparedness and asserted that the alliance would regain power in the state. "I participated in the JMM central committee meeting today along with all other workers and executive committee members. We reviewed our election preparedness and we are confident of winning the assembly elections. The JMM-led alliance will contest all the 81 seats," Soren said.

The ECI team also toured Jharkhand to assess the situation there in September. The ECI team led by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu held discussions with political parties as also the officials. Representatives of six national parties, including BJP, Congress and CPI(M) and three regional parties -- JMM, RJD and AJSU gave their views and submitted their representation to the Election Commission.

In September to assess the preparations for the upcoming Assembly Elections in Maharashtra, a team comprising top officials from the ECI was in Mumbai to take stock of the situation. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, held meetings with district collectors and superintendents of police and met the political representatives also.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) will announce the schedule for Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections on Tuesday. The Commission will hold a press conference at 3:30 pm at the Plenary Hall of Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital.