Maharashtra Assembly Election Schedule Announced, Voting on November 20, Counting on November 23

New Delhi : The schedule for the Maharashtra Assembly elections has been announced today. Voting will take place in the state on November 20, 2024, and the counting of votes will be held on November 23.

At a press conference held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, the election schedules for the assemblies of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, as well as by-elections for assemblies and Lok Sabha across the country, were announced. Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar announced the election schedule. Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukbir Singh Sandhu, along with senior officials Mahesh Garg, Ajit Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, and Anuj Chandak, were present. With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect in the state.

Maharashtra Assembly Election Schedule:

Voting for the total of 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly will take place on November 20, 2024. The election notification will be issued on October 22. The last date for filing nomination papers is October 29, and the scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 30. The deadline for withdrawing candidatures is November 4. Voting will occur on November 20, and counting will take place on November 23. The election process in the state will be completed by November 25.

Information on Voters and Polling Stations in Maharashtra:

Maharashtra has a total of 36 districts where voting will occur for 288 seats. Of these, 234 seats are for general candidates, 25 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates, and 29 seats are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. The state has a total of 9.63 crore voters, including 4.97 crore male and 4.66 crore female voters. A total of 1,186 polling stations will be set up across the state, with 42,604 stations in urban areas and 57,582 stations in rural areas.

At this time, Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar informed that the election commission has planned to set up 530 model polling stations. In this election, 18.67 lakh voters will be voting for the first time. Additionally, 6 lakh 2 thousand disabled voters and 12 lakh 5 thousand senior citizen voters will exercise their voting rights. The state is preparing in-depth for the elections, and they called on citizens to encourage participation in voting.

Dates for By-elections in Nanded, Kerala, and Uttarakhand Confirmed:

According to information provided by the election commission, voting for the Lok Sabha by-election in Nanded will take place on November 20, and counting will be on November 23. This by-election is being held due to the death of the current MP from Nanded, Vasantarav Chavan. Additionally, by-elections will take place in one assembly constituency in Kerala and in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency on November 13. Furthermore, a by-election will be held in one assembly constituency in Uttarakhand on November 20.

The Election Commission of India has given specific instructions to District Election Officers (DEOs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) to create a level playing field for all parties during the election process. These instructions include maintaining complete impartiality, ensuring equal levels of access for all, clearly marking areas for setting up political party desks on polling day, ensuring 100% webcasting at all polling stations, ensuring basic facilities at all polling stations—especially for senior citizens in areas with long queues, confirming that polling stations are within 2 kilometers of residents, avoiding unnecessary harassment of the public under the ‘Public Defacement Act,’ making information about central observers public, and monitoring social media to respond promptly to false news.

Election Process Made More Transparent and Technology-Based:

The Election Commission of India has implemented various initiatives to make the election process more transparent, faster, and technology-based. These changes will provide more convenience and ease for voters and candidates. The voter registration process has been digitized, allowing voters to fill out online forms from the comfort of their homes. Information about polling stations can also be viewed online. The e-EPIC (Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card) allows voters to download and securely keep their digital voter ID, and through the C-Vigil app, voters can report any misconduct directly to the commission, ensuring transparency in the election process.

The commission has also provided a facility portal for candidates to submit their nominations and affidavits online. Additionally, comprehensive information regarding candidates’ KYC, including criminal records, is available on the commission’s portal. Online permissions for campaign rallies and gatherings are also now available. These new technology-driven methods have made the election process more transparent. With these online facilities, voters and candidates will not face any difficulties.