The Election Commission (EC) has kicked off preparations for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, with the poll body announcing the schedule for the special summary revision (SSR) of the electoral roll for the poll-bound states on Friday.
According to The Indian Express report_,_ citing sources, the poll body wrote to the Chief Electoral Officers of the poll-bound states and Union Territory regarding the same on Thursday.
Meanwhile, in a statement of Friday, the EC said the pre-special summary revision exercises, including rationalising the locations of polling stations to make them more convenient, would start on June 25.
“The electoral rolls would be updated with the cut-off date of July 1 in the poll-bound states and UT – Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and J&K,” the EC said in the statement.
“The draft rolls would be published on July 25, after which electors have the chance to file claims and objections till August 9. The publication of the final electoral roll will be done by August 20,” the statement further added.
While J-K has not had an Assembly in place since it was dissolved in 2018, the term of the Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand assemblies is ending on November 11, November 26, and January 5, 2025, meaning the elections have to be completed before that.
“General Election to the Legislative Assembly of UT of J&K is also to be conducted for constituting a new house after delimitation of constituencies. Witnessing the huge participation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the recently concluded Lok Sabha Elections, the Commission has also directed for the updation of the electoral rolls in the UT of J&K with July 1, 2024 as the qualifying date,” The Indian Express quoted the EC as saying.
According to the report, citing sources, in addition to the SSR, the EC is holding training for officials of the poll-bound states in Delhi this week.
The poll panel has also started the process for holding 47 by-elections that are due across the country, sources added.
While upholding the abrogation of Article 370, the Supreme Court had last year ordered the EC to hold Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections by September 30. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said earlier this month that the poll panel would start the process of conducting the elections “very soon”.
The five Parliamentary constituencies of J&K had an overall turnout of 58.58 per cent in the Lok Sabha elections.
With inputs from agencies
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Countdown begins for Jammu and Kashmir polls, EC to publish voter list by August 20
