Assembly Election Schedule Highlights: J&K, Haryana polls announced; results on Oct 4

“I welcome the announcement of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir made by the Election Commission of India today,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on X.

“In the last 10 years, the Modi Govt through a series of relentless initiatives, has created a new era of peace, development and strengthening democracy in J&K. The assembly election will further strengthen the roots of democracy, opening the door to a new period of development for the region.”

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said he will contest the assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir.

“I will contest these elections, Omar Abdullah will not contest the elections. When the state status is granted then I will step down and Omar Abdullah will contest from that seat,” the senior Abdullah said.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "For the past five years, the Indian National Congress has been consistently demanding that full statehood should be restored to J&K and that assembly elections should be conducted. J&K still awaits full statehood."

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah demanded an investigation into large-scale transfers within J&K administration in the last 24 hours ahead of the poll announcement.

“Several officers were transferred suddenly, we doubt these transfers have been made to benefit the B and C teams of BJP by the L-G which has been put here by BJP,” Abdullah said.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray hit out at the Election Commission over its clarification for not announcing elections in Maharashtra.

“For all that talk of “one nation, one election”, the Entirely Compromised Commission (aka Election commission) states “constraint on security forces” as a reason to not hold elections in Maharashtra, with simultaneous elections in J&K,” Thackeray said in a post on X.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: CEC Rajiv Kumar said, “Last time, Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections were held together. At that time, J&K was not a factor but this time there are four elections this year and fifth election immediately after this. Depending on the requirement of forces, we have decided to conduct 2 elections together...The other factor is that there was heavy rainfall in Maharashtra and there are several festivals lined up too.”

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The polling in Haryana will held in a single phase on October 1, coinciding with phase 3 voting in Jammu and Kashmir. The counting of votes will be held on October 4.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir will be held in three phases starting September 18. The results will be announced on October 4.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The poll panel said that cVigil App will be available to report any kind of electoral malpractices while the electors can know about their candidates on KYC App. The candidates, on the other hand, can avail electoral facilities on Suvidha Portal.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The assembly elections in Haryana will be held for 90 seats, of which 73 are general and 17 reserved for Scheduled Castes(SC).

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The Election Commission asserted that there is a wave of optimism and hope in Jammu and Kashmir sweeping aside cynicism and apathy. Citing the comprehensive assessment of the security situation in the UT, the poll body said people will be able to vote in an atmosphere free of fear or intimidation.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: Over 87 lakh voters will be eligible to participate in the J&K assembly election. The final electoral roll will be published on August 20.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The CEC said that the polling will be held for 90 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 74 are general, and 16 reserved (ST - 9, SC - 7).

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: Citing the voter turnout in J&K during the Lok Sabha elections, Kumar said the Valley reached a new peak witnessing 30 point jump in poll participation.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: CEC Rajiv Kumar said that the poll panel team which went to Jammu and Kashmir to review the preparedness for assembly elections felt an enthusiasm among voters.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The press conference for the announcement of the poll schedule has started with the opening remarks from CEC Rajiv Kumar.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with the two Election Commissioners – Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu – will hold the press conference to announce the dates for assembly elections.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE:The election committee consists of Ravinder Raina, party's state president; Dr Jitendra Singh, Member of Parliament; Jugal Kishore Sharma MP; Ghulam Ali Khatana, MP Rajya Sabha; Ashok Koul, General Secretary (organisation); Dr Nirmal Singh, former Deputy CM; Kavinder Gupta, former Deputy CM; Sunil Sharma, General Secretary; Adv. Vibodh Gupta, General Secretary; Dr Devinder Kumar Manyal, General Secretary; Dr Darakshan Andrabi, Devinder Singh Rana, former MLA; Ajay Bharti, former MLC; and Sanjita Dogra, president Mahila Morcha.

This committee has G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister, Tarun Chugh, National General Secretary & Prabhari J&K, Ashish Sood, Seh-Prabhari J&K and Dr Narinder Singh, National Secretary as special invitees.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The Bharatiya Janata Party is currently running a minority government in Haryana after the Jananayak Janata Party (JJP) severed its ties in March earlier this year. In a 90-member Assembly, the BJP has 41 MLAs, while the opposition Congress has 29 lawmakers.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: BJP leader and former Haryana minister Anil Vij said, "We are fully prepared for the elections. If the announcement is made today, the nomination process can start tomorrow. BJP workers are ready... As for Congress, it doesn't even exist as a party in Haryana anymore. It's just a group of factions and goons that come together during elections to loot the state. The Election Commission of India should de-recognise Congress as a political party because it lacks internal democracy."

ANI

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: Ahead of likely poll schedule announcement for Jharkhand assembly, Assam CM and BJP Jharkhand in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Babulal Marandi hold a party meeting in Ranchi.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: The National Conference (NC) on Friday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to thoroughly investigate the recent large-scale transfers within the police and civil administration in Jammu and Kashmir. The party also called for an immediate halt to the implementation of these transfer orders. NC vice president Omar Abdullah expressed concerns, suggesting that the party suspects a "biased intent" behind the actions of Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha.

In 2014, Jammu and Kashmir, while it was still classified as a state, held elections in 87 seats. The polls took place in five phases from November 25 to December 20.

Despite calls to boycott the elections by hardline regional parties, the state recorded a 65 per cent voter turnout. Omar Abdullah, who was chief minister at the time, and his party Jammu and Kashmir National Conference broke their alliance with the Indian National Congress.

Meanwhile an unlikely coalition government bloomed, with the Bharatiya Janata Party continuing its 2014 streak and aligning with the more prominent regional party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Read more.

Assembly Election Date Announcement LIVE: BJP leader Kavinder Gupta tells ANI: "It a welcome step if the Election Commission of India is going to announce the dates of the election today...BJP is ready for elections. This time when we fight elections to form govt, we will try that get more numbers in Kashmir. We are also trying to get maximum seats in Jammu. BJP will emerge as the largest party to form government."