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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  EC announces 5-phase polls for J&K, Jharkhand, counting on 23 Dec
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EC announces 5-phase polls for J&K, Jharkhand, counting on 23 Dec

Polling in both states will be held on 25 Nov, 2 Dec, 9 Dec, 14 Dec and 20 Dec

Keeping in mind the difficult terrain and prevailing security situation in both the states, EC announced a multiple-phase elections. Photo: MintPremium
Keeping in mind the difficult terrain and prevailing security situation in both the states, EC announced a multiple-phase elections. Photo: Mint

New Delhi: Dice has been cast for another electoral contest between Congress and incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the Election Commission announced dates for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand.

The two assembly polls will be another test of durability of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal, similarly it will be a question of survival for the Congress party which not only lost the general elections in April-May this year but also suffered a humiliating defeat in the recently concluded assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana where it came third in the electoral contest. The Congress party was in power for 15 years in Maharashtra and for 10 years in Haryana.

“Elections in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir will be held in five phases. The schedule of the Election Commission for both the states is the same," said V.S. Sampath, chief election commissioner. The Election Commission announced the dates on Saturday.

Sampath said that while five phases of polling in the two states will happen on 25 November, 2 December, 9 December, 14 December and 20 December, the counting of the votes for the two states will be conducted on 23 December.

“The expiry of the term of assembly of Jammu and Kashmir is on 19 January, 2015, and the expiry of the term of legislative assembly of Jharkhand is on 3 January, 2015. The election process will be completed before that," Sampath added. The Jharkhand assembly has 81 members and there are 87 seats in Jammu and Kashmir assembly.

The Election Commission said that the total number of electors for Jharkhand was more than 2.07 crore, the electors in Jammu and Kashmir was 72.25 lakh. The ruling government in Jharkhand is a coalition between Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress party, while the state government in Jammu and Kashmir is a coalition between chief minister Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) and the Congress party. However, the two parties in Jammu and Kashmir broke the alliance post the Lok Sabha debacle and both are set to contest the upcoming state polls on their own. In Jharkhand, Congress is looking to contest the election along with Janata Dal (United), RJD and JMM.

“Both the states are sensitive and there are law and order concerns. The Election Commission has identified security requirements after speaking to security forces and concerned authorities," said Sampath.

When asked about the impact of recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir on the upcoming assembly polls in the state, Sampath said that most of the political parties wanted elections had said during discussions that there was no reason to delay elections in the state.

“We have held discussions with revenue secretary, power secretary and district magistrates in Jammu and Kashmir and they have assured us that infrastructure would be available for elections," Sampath added.

Interestingly, the Election Commission will also hold by-elections for three vacant seats in Delhi assembly. The three constituencies are Krishna Nagar which was held by health minister Harsh Vardhan, Mehrauli was won by Parvesh Sahib Singh and Tughlakabad seat was won by Ramesh Bidhuri. The seats which were won by the BJP in the assembly elections in December last year were vacated after Vardhan won the Lok Sabha election and became health minister while other two BJP leaders also became Members of Parliament (MPs).

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Published: 25 Oct 2014, 12:43 PM IST
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