source - Internet
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the schedule for upcoming assembly elections in several key states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. The announcement is set to be made at 3 pm today, Friday, August 16.
While the official press invitation for the 3 pm press conference at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi did not specify the states, it is widely anticipated that the election dates for these regions will be disclosed.
The legislative assemblies of Haryana and Maharashtra are nearing the end of their terms on November 3 and November 26, respectively. Additionally, the ECI is preparing to conduct assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir before the Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline.
Recently, the Election Commission has conducted visits to Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana to assess the readiness for the polls. However, a similar visit to Maharashtra is still pending.
Jharkhand is also set to hold assembly elections, with the current legislative assembly’s term ending in January 2025. It is anticipated that the Election Commission will announce the election schedule for this state as well.
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In the case of Jammu & Kashmir, following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government in 2019, the region was reorganized into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Despite the delimitation process being completed in 2022, assembly elections have not yet been held. The Election Commission, under the leadership of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, has recently reviewed the poll preparations in Jammu & Kashmir.
During a recent press conference in Jammu, Kumar reaffirmed the commission’s dedication to conducting elections in the region as soon as possible. “We are committed to holding elections in Jammu & Kashmir at the earliest, and we will not allow any internal or external forces to hinder this process. All political parties in Jammu & Kashmir are strongly advocating for prompt assembly elections,” he stated.
As the clock ticks down to 3 pm, all eyes are on the Election Commission as they prepare to outline the electoral roadmap for these critical states.
