Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly Polls have been long standing but the Election Commission of India has not announced the election dates for the state. On Friday, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced the polling date for two states in India- J&K and Haryana. Excitement builds as both the states gears up for the much-awaited elections. The polling results will be out on October 4 for the two. However, there’s been no declaration for Maharashtra.

CEC Rajiv Kumar on the delay

At the press conference in Delhi today, CEC Kumar was asked about the reason for not declaring Maharashtra poll dates. The Top Election Commissioner said that last time Maharashtra and Haryana elections were done jointly. “At that time, Jammu and Kashmir was not a factor.” As per CEC Rajiv Kumar, there is a heavy security requirement in J&K and also the monsoon weather is unfavorable for conducting Maharashtra polls. He also mentioned the upcoming festivals in Maharashtra- Pitru Paksha, Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi.

Who will be competing in the upcoming Maharashtra polls?

Considering all the above cited reasons, the Election body is holding two elections together- Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir. The term of office for the present 88-member Maharashtra legislative assembly is going to end in October 2024. Two alliances are likely to compete in the upcoming Maharashtra polls: the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition and the Maha Yuti coalition. BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena coalition jointly came to Power in 2019, but the alliance had later fallen out.

Haryana is going to cast its vote in single phase On October 1, meanwhile J&K will vote in three phases. The poll results for both the states will be out on October 4.

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