Election Commission to announce Assembly Polls schedule at 3 PM today

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the schedule for upcoming assembly elections in several states, including Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand, at 3 PM today, August 16. The commission has invited the media to a press conference at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan, although the specific states were not mentioned in the invitation. The terms of the Haryana and Maharashtra legislative assemblies end on November 3 and November 26, respectively, while Jharkhand’s assembly term ends in January 2025.

Focus on Jammu and Kashmir

The poll body is also likely to announce elections for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, where elections have not been held since 2014. The last assembly polls were delayed due to factors like the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which divided the region into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The ECI recently visited Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana to assess poll readiness but is yet to visit Maharashtra.

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During a recent visit, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar assured that elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held as soon as possible, despite potential challenges. The commission remains committed to ensuring timely polls, with political parties in Jammu and Kashmir pushing for elections after a long gap. The Supreme Court has set a deadline of September 30 for conducting the polls.

The announcement today is expected to provide clarity on the election timelines for these states and regions.