Maharashtra Assembly Election: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stated on Saturday that political parties have requested the Election Commission to schedule the Maharashtra assembly elections while considering upcoming festivals such as Diwali.

During a press briefing in Mumbai, Kumar explained that the Commission met with representatives from various national and regional parties, as well as key stakeholders, including district magistrates and police officials. “We engaged with leaders from 11 parties, including BSP, AAP, CPI(M), INC, MNS, SP and Shiv Sena (UBT). They have asked us to take into account festivals like Diwali, Dev Diwali and Chhath Puja when finalising the election dates,” he said.

ALSO READ: EC Questions Maharashtra Govt Over Failure To Comply With Transfer Orders Directive Ahead Of Assembly Polls

Kumar also stated that the current assembly's term ends on November 26, necessitating the elections to be held before that date. He outlined that Maharashtra has 288 constituencies, comprising 25 reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 29 for Scheduled Castes (SC). The state has a total electorate of 9.59 crores, with approximately 4.59 crores male and 4.64 crores female voters. He also stated that there is a promising number of first-time voters aged 18-19, estimated at around 19.48 lakh.

ALSO READ:Pune Rape Case: Four Arrested For Raping 16-Year-Old College Girl They Befriended Online

In a separate matter, Kumar expressed concern regarding the Maharashtra administration's failure to comply with directives regarding the transfer of officials. He questioned the Chief Secretary about the lack of action to relocate revenue officers who have been in their current postings for over three years. The Election Commission is seeking explanations from both the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police for not fully executing its orders ahead of the elections.