Maharashtra to Vote in Single Phase on November 20, Counting 3 Days Later

Maharashtra Assembly Election Schedule:  The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday announced the schedule for the Maharashtra assembly polls 2024 on Tuesday. Addressing a presser, Chief Election Commissioner CEC Rajiv Kumar said that Maharashtra will vote in a single phase on November 20 and the counting of votes will be held 3 days later, i.e., on November 23.

Maharashtra Assembly Election Full Schedule

Maharashtra Assembly Elections: Mahayuti vs Maha Vikas Aghadi in High-Stakes Battle

The upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections are set to witness a fierce contest between two major alliances: the ruling Mahayuti coalition, comprising the BJP , Shiv Sena, and NCP, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes the Congress , Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP-SP.

Tensions between the two sides have escalated following the death of NCP leader Baba Siddique on October 12. The Opposition has accused the Eknath Shinde -led government of failing to maintain law and order, further intensifying the political battle.

On October 13, top MVA leaders Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar , and Nana Patole held a joint press conference, launching a scathing attack on the Mahayuti government. They released what they termed a "chargesheet of corruption," alleging various scams, mismanagement, and a breakdown in governance under the current regime.

The MVA leaders highlighted several issues, claiming the Mahayuti government has been riddled with corruption and incompetency, which they say has led to a sharp decline in the state's administration and security. These allegations are expected to play a key role in shaping the narrative as the elections draw near.

Jharkhand Assembly Election 

Meanwhile, Jharkhand is set to hold its polls in two phases, on November 13 and 20, with results scheduled for announcement on November 23.  While the term of the Maharashtra assembly ends on November 26, that of Jharkhand ends on January 5 next year.   

Peaceful Voting in J&K, Haryana

Speaking to reporters, CEC Kumar also lauded peaceful voting in J&K and Haryana .  He said,"On behalf of the Election Commision of India, we thank all the voters of Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana for strongly participating in polls. People of Jammu and Kashmir have made festival of democracy historic. As the world's biggest democracy, India is setting gold standards in every election."