Election Commission to announce Assembly poll schedule for Maharashtra and Jharkhand

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to unveil the schedule for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, with an official announcement scheduled for Tuesday at 3:30 PM. The declaration will be made during a press conference at the Plenary Hall of Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, where the election timetable will be detailed, marking the start of the election season in these two significant states.

The tenure of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is slated to conclude on November 26, while the Jharkhand Assembly’s term will expire on January 5, 2025. Consequently, elections are anticipated to be held before these deadlines to ensure the timely constitution of the new assemblies.

In Maharashtra, the upcoming electoral battle is shaping up to be a face-off between two major coalitions. On one side is the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), an alliance consisting of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Sharad Pawar, and the Indian National Congress. On the other is the ruling Mahayuti Alliance, which brings together the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the NCP faction headed by Ajit Pawar.

The political scenario in Maharashtra has seen dramatic shifts since the 2019 assembly elections, where the BJP emerged as the largest party with 105 seats, while the Congress secured 44. Although the BJP initially formed a government in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena, the partnership fractured amidst a political upheaval. The parliamentary elections earlier this year saw a setback for the BJP-led alliance, which managed to win only 17 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats, a significant drop from its earlier tally of 23. In contrast, the MVA coalition made gains, securing 30 seats, signaling a tough electoral contest ahead.

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The state of Jharkhand, with its 81-member legislative assembly, is gearing up for elections by December 2024. The constituencies in Jharkhand include 44 General, 9 Scheduled Caste (SC), and 28 Scheduled Tribe (ST) seats. The ECI is preparing for the electoral process ahead of the assembly’s term expiration in January. A high-level delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar conducted a review of the election preparedness in the state on September 24, emphasizing the need for stringent measures to curb the misuse of money in influencing voter behavior.

The 2019 Jharkhand Assembly elections were conducted over five phases, while Maharashtra opted for a single-phase poll. As the election schedule is set to be revealed, both states are bracing for an intense political battle, with major alliances strategizing to secure voter support amid evolving political dynamics. 

With the election dates soon to be announced, political fervor is expected to intensify, setting the stage for high-stakes contests in these key states.