Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Friday said that the high demand for security forces in Jammu and Kashmir is the primary reason for not holding simultaneous elections to the state assemblies of Maharashtra and Haryana as it was held in 2019.
The tenure of the Haryana state assembly ends on November 3 while that of Maharashtra culminates on November 26.
“Earlier Maharashtra and Haryana happened together. …At that time, Jammu and Kashmir was not a factor so one could have gone a little later. This time there are four elections this year and fifth just immediately afterwards — Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi. So, depending on the requirements of forces which is… in a higher tone in Jammu and Kashmir, we decided to hold elections two states at a time. We cannot announce another [election] in the middle of the Jammu and Kashmir elections,” Kumar said.
“There are multiple other factors. Rainfall in Maharashtra and the spate of festivals in the state including Ganesh Chaturthi, Pitrapaksh, Navratri and Diwali affect election scheduling,” he said.
“All that put together, we thought this is what we can handle, two elections at a time. And it is within six months of the term of the assembly ending,” the CEC said.
{{/usCountry}}“All that put together, we thought this is what we can handle, two elections at a time. And it is within six months of the term of the assembly ending,” the CEC said.
{{/usCountry}}Simultaneous bye elections across 46 assembly, one Lok Sabha seat
The poll panel is also likely to conduct the bye elections for the one parliamentary seat (Wayanad) and 46 assembly seats across the country simultaneously once weather conditions improve, Kumar said.
“In some states, environment and weather conditions are such that by-elections cannot be held,” Kumar said.
“The seat where the parliamentary elections are to be held has been struck by a severe emergency. Elections cannot be held there immediately. And in some states too, such as Bihar and Assam, there is a flood-like situation. We will hold all of them simultaneously and well within six months. [We are] just waiting for the weather conditions to improve. Let people settle after the great disaster that has struck. Let them have some breathing time,” he said.