The Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has just dropped the dates for the upcoming elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, and things are about to get interesting. Haryana will be heading to the polls in a single phase on October 1. That means the entire state, with its 2.01 crore voters, will be casting their votes on the same day. Over in Jammu & Kashmir, things are a bit more spread out, with voting happening in three phases—September 18, September 25, and October 1. And the big day for counting all those votes will be October 4.
Haryana Assembly Election 2024 date
Haryana is no stranger to political drama, and this election promises to be no different. On October 1, voters from every corner of the state will head to the polls. With just one phase of voting, the process should be pretty smooth. The Election Commission is banking on this setup to keep things organized and secure.
The BJP is aiming to win the Haryana Assembly Election 2024 on October 1. They face a tough challenge from the Congress party, which is hoping to take advantage of voter dissatisfaction.
To tackle this, the BJP made a big change by replacing Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as the chief minister earlier this year. Khattar won a seat in the Lok Sabha and became a Union minister, while Saini won the Karnal Assembly by-election. Saini is now the BJP’s candidate for chief minister in the upcoming state elections.
Jammu & Kashmir Election date
Instead of a one-and-done vote like Haryana, J&K will be voting in three phases. That’s happening on September 18, September 25, and October 1. It’s all about security and making sure the elections go off without a hitch.
Security is always a top concern in Jammu & Kashmir. The region has seen increased terror attacks lately, so the Election Commission is taking extra steps to ensure everything stays peaceful. This staggered voting schedule helps manage security forces better and keeps things under control.
The political scene in J&K is also unique. Regional parties have a big say, and the way they form alliances could make or break the election. With three phases, these parties have more time to campaign, reach out to voters, and strategize.
Notably, the last assembly elections of Jammu and Kashmir (as a state) were held in 2014.
Since then, Jammu and Kashmir underwent significant changes, including the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which led to the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
As a result, no state elections have been held since 2014, and the region has been under direct central administration or lieutenant governor’s rule since then.
What about the Maharashtra assembly election 2024?
Many expected Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar to announce the Maharashtra election schedule too, but he explained why it wasn’t done. He said the Maharashtra elections will be announced later because of the security needs in Jammu and Kashmir.
Due to the need for security forces and recent heavy rains in Maharashtra, along with upcoming festivals, the decision was made to hold two elections at the same time.
The current Maharashtra legislative assembly, which has 288 members, will end its term in October 2024. The election will see a contest between two main groups: the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition (including the UBT Sena, NCP – Sharad Pawar, and Congress) and the Maha Yuti Alliance (comprising BJP, Shiv Sena-Eknath Shinde, and NCP).
How did leaders react to the election dates?
Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X, “I appeal to the people of J&K to actively participate in the election and vote in large numbers to form a government that will sustain peace and development and ensure a brighter future for the youth.”
Jammu Kashmir National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also wrote on X, “The indelible ink mark from the recent elections hasn’t gone & we are back in election mode. Bring it on! We are ready!”
Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury said to ANI, “We welcome this step (of conducting assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir)…INDIA bloc will form the government on the 4th of October…We welcome the Haryana elections also and we will swipe the elections and form government there also.”
With the election dates out in the open, it’s time to keep an eye on how things unfold in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir. As we inch closer to October 4, the excitement is only going to build.
