Assembly elections in 5 states from Nov 7-30; results on Dec 3
The results from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram may set the trend for 2024
Election Commission announced the dates for assembly elections in five states — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram. The EC scheduled a press conference for this, addressed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel.
Mizoram will vote on November 7, Madhya Pradesh on November 17, Chhattisgarh on November 7 and November 17, Rajasthan on November 23, and Telangana on November 30. The results for all 5 states will be on December 3.
The results of the assembly elections are crucial as they may determine the voting pattern for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. This is the first major election to be held after the formation of the INDIA bloc. Though the INDIA alliance has been formed with the 2024 general election in mind, how the members tackle polls as allies will be keenly watched.
Political analysts believe lessons gained from the five assembly polls could give important pointers to all political parties on the electorate’s behaviour and help them make strategies accordingly.
The BJP is unlikely to announce its chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and instead ask for votes in the name of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress is currently the ruling party in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, while the BJP is the incumbent in Madhya Pradesh. These three states will feature a primarily two-sided contest between the BJP and the Congress.
The Congress is trying to buck the trend in Rajasthan which traditionally votes against the party in power every five years. The BJP is facing anti-incumbency and a fatigue factor in Madhya Pradesh after having Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the chief minister for the past 15 years.
In Telangana, the BRS is facing a resurgent Congress after being in power for two terms with K Chandrashekar Rao at the helm.
Mizoram will witness a fight between the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), which seems to have replaced the Congress as the principal opposition in the state.
Live Updates
- 9 Oct 2023 6:51 AM GMT
To enhance voter experiences there will be 17,734 model polling stations. Also, 621 polling stations will be managed by PWD staff, and at 8,192 polling stations, women will be in command.
The Commission has laid special emphasis on ensuring a healthy, pure, and an inclusive electoral roll, said the CEC.
- 9 Oct 2023 6:49 AM GMT
1.77 lakh polling stations will be set up
Around 1.77 lakh polling stations will be set up in 679 assembly constituencies. Over 1 lakh polling stations will have a webcasting facility. The average elector per polling station is well below ECI norms of 1,500 electors per polling station in all five states.
- 9 Oct 2023 6:46 AM GMT
No voter will be left behind: CEC
CEC Rajiv Kumar announces assembly polls schedule for Madhya Pradesh (230 seats), Rajasthan (200), Telangana (119), Chhattisgarh (90) and Mizoram (40).
"Twelve PVTGs (Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups) are present in four states," said Kumar. "With special enrollment camps and efforts by our field teams, 100 per cent enrollment of PVTGs in the states is achieved. ECI is committed to ensure no voter is left behind."
He said there are 679 constituencies across the five states, accounting for about a sixth of all the assembly seats in the nation. The voters in these states also account for one-sixth of the 95 crore voters nationally, he said.
