New Delhi: November is going to be a busy month politically for five states as the Election Commission of India on Monday announced poll dates for Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar who announced the schedule for the last set of assembly elections ahead of next year's Lok Sabha polls said about 16 crore voters are eligible to cast their vote in the five state assembly elections which will happen in November. Polls in the five states will have 8.2 crore male and 7.8 crore female voters, he said adding that there are 60.2 lakh first-time voters.
- Polling for Mizoram assembly elections on Nov 7, counting of votes on Dec 3.
- Chhattisgarh assembly polls are to be held in two phases on Nov 7, and Nov 17.
- Voting for Madhya Pradesh assembly elections to be held on November 17.
- Voting for all 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan to be held on November 23.
- Telangana to go for assembly polls on November 30.
- Counting of votes for all five assembly elections on December 3.
The CEC said these five states will have 1.77 lakh polling stations and 1.01 lakh of these stations will have webcasting facilities, as envisaged by the EC to have more than half of polling stations to have webcasting. Less than 10 per cent of these stations, over 8,000 polling stations will be managed by women.
Six months gap for LS polls: "We have gathered here after a gap of six months. These elections are significant for the country and after this, we will meet for the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections," the CEC said. "We have met all stakeholders, including political parties and enforcement agencies, while preparing for assembly elections in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, MP and Telangana," Rajiv Kumar said.
The CEC added that the Election Commission has placed special emphasis on making electoral rolls inclusive and the focus will also be on "roll-to-poll" to ensure that all voters come to vote.
Election Seizure Management System: In a first, the CEC said a new Election Seizure Management System is being introduced for the assembly polls to enhance oversight to ensure inducement-free elections. A total of 940 checkposts have been put in place for a strict vigil along interstate borders and to dry up inflow of illicit liquor, cash, freebies and drugs, the EC top boss said.
There will be zero tolerance for the use of money power and there will be a strict vigil over suspicious online cash transfers through wallets as well, he added. Two of the states - Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh - going to polls are ruled by Congress. Madhya Pradesh is under the BJP regime. Mizoram is led by an NDA partner Mizo National Front (MNF). K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is in power in Telangana.
Also read: Madhya Pradesh gears up for a high-stakes battle: BJP vs. Congress in the fight for power
