The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the dates for assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that Maharashtra will go to polls in a single phase on November 20. Assembly elections in Jharkhand will be held in two phases. The elections will be held on November 18 and 20. The results of both states will be declared on November 23. The EC also announced the dates for bypolls to two Lok Sabha and 48 Assembly seats.
By-elections to various assemblies and Lok Sabha constituencies, including West Bengal, will be held on November 13. Bypolls to one Assembly constituency in Uttarakhand and one Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra will be held on November 20. The results of all Lok Sabha and Assembly bypolls will be declared on November 23.
The bypoll will be held in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency. The bypoll will be necessitated after Rahul Gandhi resigned as the Lok Sabha from Wayanad. The Congress has already announced the name of Priyanka Gandhi as its candidate. Bypolls will also be held in Maharashtra's Nanded Lok Sabha constituency.
Six assembly constituencies in West Bengal have been without MLAs since the Lok Sabha polls. By-elections in Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, Taldangra, Madarihat, and Sitai will be held on November 13.
The term of the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly ends on November 26. The total number of booths in Maharashtra is 1 lakh 186. The number of booths run by women is 388. The total number of voters is 9 crore 63 lakh. The term of the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly ends on January 5 next year. The total number of voters in Jharkhand is 2.6 crore.