The Election Commission has announced that elections to the 90-member Haryana assembly will be held on October 1, with the results to be declared on October 4, setting the stage for a keenly contested battle between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.

The Election Commission has announced that the three-phase elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly will be held on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with the results to be declared on October 4.

The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana will be the first popularity test for the BJP and the INDIA bloc following the Lok Sabha polls, with both sides keen to make a strong showing and gain momentum ahead of future elections.

The Congress is hoping to continue its political revival by toppling the BJP from power in Haryana after 10 years and inflicting losses on its rival in the Jammu region, where the two parties are the main contestants.

Two regional parties, the National Conference and PDP, have traditionally held sway in the Kashmir valley, and their performance in the assembly elections will be crucial in determining the outcome of the polls.

The Election Commission has announced that assembly elections in Maharashtra, which were held along with Haryana in 2019, will be announced later due to security requirements for Jammu and Kashmir, with the Commission prioritizing the conduct of polls in the sensitive union territory.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has welcomed the announcement of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the polls will further strengthen the roots of democracy and open the doors to a new period of development for the region, which has faced numerous challenges in recent years.