 "Election Commission to release poll schedule for key states at 3 pm")
The Election Commission of India (EC) is set to announce the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections on Friday afternoon. A media invitation has been sent by the EC for a press conference scheduled for around 3 pm, though it remains unclear which states' election dates will be revealed.
The terms of legislative assemblies in Haryana and Maharashtra will expire on Nov 3 and Nov 26, respectively. Additionally, the poll panel is under pressure to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by September 30, 2024, as mandated by the Supreme Court of India.
Elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand
Traditionally, the EC has held elections in Maharashtra and Haryana simultaneously, with Jharkhand following separately. However, media reports suggest a deviation from this pattern this year, with elections in J&K and Haryana possibly being prioritised.
The EC recently conducted visits to J&K and Haryana to assess the states' readiness for elections. However, no such visit has yet been made to Maharashtra, suggesting that polls in J&K and Haryana might be held before those in Maharashtra.
The situation in J&K also remains particularly delicate. The region has been without an elected legislative Assembly since 2018, and the Supreme Court has set a strict deadline for holding elections by the end of September 2024.
The legislative assemblies in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand are all nearing the end of their terms within the next six months. Jharkhand assembly's term ends in January 2025, trailing closely behind Maharashtra and Haryana.
EC visits Haryana and J&K
During their recent visits to Jammu and Kashmir on August 8-9 and to Haryana on August 12-13, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu, met various stakeholders and reviewed the electoral preparations. The absence of a similar visit to Maharashtra and Jharkhand points to the possibility of their elections being scheduled later.
Meanwhile, the legislative assembly elections for Delhi, encompassing all 70 constituencies, are scheduled to take place on or before February 2025.