Elections to the legislative assemblies of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh and Telangana will be held between November 7 and November 30, counting of votes for all the five states will take place on December 3, the Election Commission announced on Monday.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said in a press conference that while the elections to the Chhattisgarh legislative Assembly will be spread over two phases, the elections to the other four states Assemblies will be conducted in a single phase.
The first phase of elections for Chhattisgarh will be held on November 7 while the second phase for the remaining be held on November 17. Madhya Pradesh will go on November 17. Mizoram will go to polls on November 7 while Rajasthan will go to polls on November 23. Telangana will go last on November 30.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly has 230 seats, Rajasthan has 200 Assembly seats and Mizoram has 40 Assembly seats.
Kumar said that the model code of conduct comes into effect immediately in these states and that the provision of the code will apply to the whole of Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana and will be applicable to all candidates, political parties and the government of these states.
“The model code of conduct shall also be applicable to the union government in so far as announements/policy decisions pertaining to/for these states are concerned,” he added.
The strength of the electorate varies from 5.61 crore in Madhya Pradesh to 8.52 lakh voters in Mizoram while Rajasthan has 5.26 crore voters. A total of 16.14 crore voters will vote altogether for these five states with 60.2 lakh first time voters.
The expenditure ceiling for each candidate has been fixed at Rs 40 lakhs in all the states except for Mizoram where it is Rs 28 lakhs, Kumar said.
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