Chhattisgarh Assembly Election 2023

Voting for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections took place in two phases -- on November 7 and November 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. The nomination process for the first phase of the Chhattisgarh polls began on October 13. For the second phase of Chhattisgarh polls, the nomination process began on October 21. More than two crore persons -- comprising 1,01,20,380 male, 1,02,39,410 female and 790 transgenders -- are eligible to vote in the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. There will be 24,109 polling stations in 90 Assembly constituencies, 29 of which are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 10 for Scheduled Castes. The BJP and the Congress will be engaged in a direct fight in Chhattisgarh even as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Aam Aadmi Party will try to make an impact on a few seats.

Chhattisgarh legislative assembly came into existence after a separate state was carved out of the state of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000, with Raipur as its capital. The first legislative assembly in Chhattisgarh was formed by the MLAs elected in the 1998 Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly election whose constituencies fell in the newly formed state. Since then, the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly has witnessed four general elections - 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018. While the first three assembly elections were won by the BJP, the Congress party registered a massive victory in the 2018 Chhattisgarh assembly elections, grabbing 68 out of 90 assembly seats. Congress later increased its tally to 71 by winning all assembly bypolls. Chhattisgarh legislative election has largely been a two-sided contest, with Janta Congress Chhattisgarh – founded by former chief minister Ajit Jogi – and Mayawati’s BSP making an impact on a few seats. In the 2018 Chhattisgarh assembly elections, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fought on 84 out of 90 seats but lost the security deposit in all seats.

Process of the Chhattisgarh assembly election

Election Schedule:

The Election Commission of India announces the election schedule, which includes the dates for various phases of polling. The schedule is typically designed to ensure smooth conduct of the elections.

Voter Registration:

Before an election, eligible citizens need to ensure they are registered as voters. This involves getting their names listed on the electoral rolls. The Election Commission oversees this process.

Candidate Nomination:

Either political parties nominate candidates for each assembly constituency. Independent candidates without any affiliation to a political party can also file nomination papers. Candidates need to submit certain documents and deposits along with their nomination papers.

Scrutiny of Nominations:

After the nominations are submitted, they are scrutinized by the election authorities to ensure that candidates meet the eligibility criteria and have submitted the required documents.

Withdrawal of Nominations:

Candidates have a window of time after the scrutiny to withdraw their nominations if they choose to do so.

Voter Education:

The Election Commission and various organizations work to educate voters about the importance of voting, the voting process, and the candidates.

Campaigning:

Political parties and candidates engage in campaigning to reach out to voters. This includes public rallies, door-to-door campaigns, and various forms of media outreach.

Model Code of Conduct:

Once elections are announced, a model code of conduct comes into effect. This code lays down guidelines for the behaviour of political parties and candidates during the election process.

Polling:

On the scheduled polling days, voters from each constituency go to their designated polling stations to cast their votes. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are used for this purpose.

Counting of Votes:

After all phases of polling are completed, the votes are counted. The process is closely monitored by election officials, political party representatives, and observers.

Declaration of Results:

Once the votes are counted, the results for each constituency are declared. The candidate with the highest number of votes is declared the winner.

Formation of Government:

After the results are declared, the political party or coalition with the majority of seats forms the government. The leader of the winning party becomes the Chief Minister. ...read more