New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Monday announced the schedule for holding assembly elections in five states.
The commission announced the dates for assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.
The results will be declared on December 3.
Poll dates
Madhya Pradesh: November 17
Chhattisgarh (2 phases): November 7, November 17
Rajasthan: November 23
Telangana: November 30
Mizoram: November 7
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said 16.14 crore voters would cast their ballots in five assembly elections. "Among these, 60.2 lakh are new voters," he said.
The term of the Mizoram assembly ends on December 17. The Mizo National Front is in power in the northeastern state. The terms of the legislative assemblies of Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan end on different dates in January next year. While the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) rules Telangana, Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP. The Congress is in power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
Kumar said these five states will have 1.77 lakh polling stations, of which 1.01 lakh will have webcasting facility.
More than 8,000 polling stations will be managed by women, he said.
"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," Kumar said.
"We have met all stakeholders, including political parties and enforcement agencies, while preparing for the assembly elections in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana," he said.
The CEC said the Election Commission (EC) has given a special emphasis on making electoral rolls inclusive and the focus will also be on "roll-to-poll", or ensuring that all voters come to vote.
Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram will have 8.2 crore male and 7.8 crore female voters, while there will be 60.2 lakh first-time voters, he said.
For the first time, Kumar 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, he 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, the CEC said.
