Maharashtra assembly elections 2024: State to vote on Nov 20 in single phase

CEC Rajiv Kumar at a press conference announcing the schedule of elections for two states, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

Maharashtra will vote in a single phase on November 20, a weekday, to elect its new state government. The counting will be held on November 23 and the new House will be constituted before the current term of the Legislative Assembly ends on November 26. Nominations will begin on October 22 and close on October 29. The candidature can be withdrawn on November 4 after the Diwali festivities come to a close. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced the Maharashtra schedule, along with the Jharkhand poll programme, on Tuesday afternoon in New Delhi. It will be the second occasion since the summer's Lok Sabha polls that Maharashtra will have two three-party alliances facing each other.

The announcement marked the beginning of the model code of conduct that bars governments from making policy decisions and enforces certain rules and regulations on parties, poll campaigns, candidates and government servants who manage the elections. In exceptional cases, the government may approach the Election Commission, which holds final powers to approve and reject the state plea and direct the government to do what suits it best.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu address the press. Pic/PTI

In 2019, polling was also done in a single phase, but a month earlier than this year. Before a stable government took over, the state saw a month of intense political activity after a short-lived government collapsed. This led to unexpected alliances and shifted the state's political direction. 2024's tight schedule will not impact political activity, said state legislature's former principal secretary Anant Kalse. "The House must be constituted before its term ends. It won't affect if no party or alliance [in the case of a hung House[ is able to form a government in the time available between the results and the House expiry date. The parties may take more time to decide their next course of action [as they did in 2019]," added Kalse.

A stalemate followed after the winning combination of BJP and Shiv Sena (undivided) broke up post-2019 results over Uddhav Thackeray's demand for the CM's post. In the interim, President's Rule was imposed and later lifted when BJP's Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar of the NCP took oath as the CM and DyCM on November 23, but both quit within three days before the floor test happened. On November 28, the newly formed Maha Vikas Aghadi installed Thackeray as its CM. This government too fell in 2022 in the wake of a rebellion in the Sena. The formation changed into a three-party collaboration when the Ajit Pawar-led NCP splinter joined Sena's Eknath Shinde faction and the BJP.

November 2024 also promises something unexpected. After trailing in the Lok Sabha, the ruling alliance has gone into overdrive to implement a direct cash transfer scheme, and various other dole and social engineering to woo the voters. The Haryana turnaround has raised the BJP's confidence to go all out to emerge as the single-largest party for the third time. The MVA, on the other hand, relies heavily on the recent past, the state's Lok Sabha verdict.

But leaving no chances, the Congress, in a bid to cross the Mahayuti, is learnt to have scripted a manifesto full of doles to be given to the people if voted to power. The MVA also banks on quota unrest that has led to confrontation between Marathas and the government. By-poll for Nanded Lok Sabha seat will also be held on November 20. The seat fell vacant after Congress MP Vasant Chavan's death.

Candidates with criminal cases

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv said the candidates with criminal cases and their respective parties will have to advertise at least three times in print and electronic media about their background.

DGP stays

Responding to a question, CEC Kumar said that the Congress's demand for Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla's displacement will be handled as per the Supreme Court's legal pronouncement in the process of appointment of the state police chiefs. He added that the state DGPs were appointed through a process done by the Union Public Service Commission.

Maharashtra poll schedule

Date of notification: October 22
Last date of nomination: October 29
Scrutiny: October 30
Withdrawal: November 4
Poll date: November 20
Counting: November 23