Election Commission announces poll program for five states

New Delhi, Oct 6: The Chief Election Commissioner of India O P Rawat Saturday announced the election schedule for the five states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday CEC Rawat said that the poll program will begin with first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh on November 12 followed by the second phase on November 20.

In the first phase the election will be held on November 12 in 18 constituencies located in left wing extremism affected area of Chhattisgarh Rawat said adding that in the second phase polling will be held in remaining 72 constituencies mostly in North Chhattisgarh on November 20.

He said that Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram will have single day voting to be held on November 28 while Telangana and Rajasthan will witness the polling on December 7.

Counting of votes in all states will be taken up on December 11, Rawat said. addressing a press conference today.

The term of Chhattisgarh State Assembly expires on January 5 2019; that of Madhya Pradesh Assembly on January 7, Rajasthan on January 20 and Mizoram state assembly term expires on December 15. As such the Election Commission has planned to hold elections in these states before December 15, the CEC said.

Elections will be held for 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh, 230 in Madhya Pradesh, 200 in Rajasthan and 40 assembly seats in Mizoram.

Telangana state assembly was dissolved prematurely and the Election Commission is bound to hold the elections there as early as possible. Hence it has announced the elections to Telangana state assembly along with these four states. Telangana Assembly has 119 seats and elections will be held on all of them.

The model code of conduct has come into force in these four states with the announcement of the poll schedule while in Telangana is has already been in force the moment the assembly was dissolved, the CEC said.