The Election Commission of India on Thursday, 3 November announced the schedule for Gujarat Assembly elections.
How Many Phases?
Voting in Gujarat will take place in two phases, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar said in a press conference in Delhi.
What is the Majority Mark?
The Gujarat Legislative Assembly has 182 seats, which means the majority mark lies at (182/2)+1 = 92.
What Are The Dates?
Date of Polling for Phase 1: 1 December
Date of Polling Phase 2: 5 December
Announcement of results: 8 December
How Many Eligible Voters?
There are over 4.9 crore eligible voters in the state, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar said. Of these, over 4.6 lakh are first time voters, and nearly 9.8 lakh are electors above 80 years of age. Besides, there are 10,000 centenary voters.
How Many Polling Stations?
There will be 51,782 total polling stations, including 1,274 are managed entirely by women and 182 by persons with disabilities, CEC Kumar said.
In addition, 50 percent of the total polling stations will have webcasting facility. For the first time, An additional Special Observer will be deployed at polling stations to monitor the accessibility to voters.
What Are The Dates For Assembly Elections in Himachal Pradesh?
The Election Commission had, on 14 October, announced that 2022 Assembly Elections will take place in Himachal Pradesh in a single phase on 12 November. The results for these elections will be announced on 8 December.
But Wait...
While announcing the election schedule for Himachal Pradesh, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar had refrained from announcing the dates for Gujarat, saying, “We are following past precedent in keeping the announcement of dates for Gujarat in abeyance now.”
He had added that announcement of poll dates for multiple states together leads to longer waiting time for declaration of results for some, The Indian Express has reported.
And Has This Happened Before?
This is the third time since 1998 that the poll schedules for Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat have not been announced simultaneously, as is the norm for states where governments are completing their tenures within six months.
Elections were held simultaneously for Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat in 1998, 2007 and 2012, but were held separately in 2002-2003 after the Gujarat Assembly was dissolved in the aftermath of the Godhra Riots.
Before You Leave...
With the announcement of the poll schedule today, the Model Code of Conduct will come into effect as soon as the official notification for the election is published.
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