The Election Commission of India on Friday will unveil the schedule for the upcoming General Election to Legislative Assemblies. While the Commission did not specify the states and Union Territories where elections will be held in its initial release, it is widely expected that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, along with the states of Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, will go to the polls later this year.

Jammu and Kashmir

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is set to witness its first Legislative Assembly elections since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which stripped the region of its special status and statehood. The election, to be held for 90 assembly seats, is mandated to take place no later than September 30, 2024, following a Supreme Court directive.

The last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held nearly a decade ago, in 2014. After a brief period of Governor’s rule following the death of chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti took over the reins. However, political turmoil led to the dissolution of the assembly in 2018, followed by the imposition of President’s rule.

With the delimitation process completed in 2022, which added new seats to both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, this election is expected to be a landmark event, reshaping the political landscape of the Union Territory.

Haryana

Haryana is expected to hold elections to its 90-member Legislative Assembly following the expiration of the current assembly’s term on November 3, 2024. The political landscape in Haryana saw significant changes earlier this year when the alliance between the BJP and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) collapsed in March 2024. This led to the resignation of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the appointment of Nayab Singh Saini as the new chief minister.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP faced a setback, losing five of the 10 seats it had previously won in Haryana to Congress. This development has added further uncertainty to the upcoming state elections as political alliances and strategies continue to evolve.

Jharkhand

Jharkhand’s political scenario remains tense as the current legislative assembly’s term ends on January 5, 2025. The coalition government, led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha has been at the helm since the 2019 elections. The ECI is expected to announce the precise schedule for the state’s elections today, which will elect all 81 members of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra’s 288-member Legislative Assembly is also gearing up for elections, with the current term ending on November 26, 2024. The state has seen significant political upheaval since the last elections in 2019. Initially, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won the majority, but internal conflicts led to the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition with Uddhav Thackeray as chief minister.

However, the political landscape shifted dramatically in 2022 when Eknath Shinde, along with 40 MLAs, broke away from Shiv Sena to form a government with the BJP. The situation became even more complex in 2023, with the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party joining the government. The recent Lok Sabha elections saw Maha Vikas Aghadi securing 30 out of 48 seats, while Mahayuti, the BJP-led coalition, won 17 seats. These results have set the stage for a closely contested assembly election later this year.

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EC set to announce poll schedule to Legislative Assemblies at 3 pm today, J&K dates likely