New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) The Election Commission on Friday announced Jharkhand assembly polls, to be held in five phases starting November 30 and the results will be declared on December 23.
"“There were a lot of sensitivities in our mind. We should finish (the polls) before Christmas,” said Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, who has made the announcement, and added that the Model Code of Conduct is now in force in the state.
The 81-member Jharkhand assembly is to set to end on January 5, 2020.
According to the Commission, 19 districts in the state are sensitive owing to Maoist threat and 13 are worst-affected.
"Adequate security deployment is being done and special security arrangements are being put in place in Maoist-affected areas. Special forces for battling left-wing extremism in Jharkhand during the polls will be deployed", said the poll body.
According to the Commission, polls will be held in 13 assembly constituencies in the first phase, which will take place on November 30.
Twenty assembly seats will go to polls in the second phase and the poll date is December 7. In the third phase, 17 assembly constituencies will go to polls on December 12.
Polls to 15 seats in the fourth phase will be held on December 16 and in the fifth phase, 16 constituencies will go to polls on December 20.
The BJP government led by Chief Minister Raghubar Das is currently ruling the state in an alliance with the All Jharkhand Students' Union (AJSU).
In the 2014 election, the BJP bagged 37 seats and its ally the AJSU won 17, while the Congress was reduced to just six seats.
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) secured 19 seats while former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi's Jharkhand Vikas Morcha got eight seats.
It is expected that the Congress and the JMM will be in alliance in Jharkhand this time, however, finalisation of seat sharing is yet to be done.
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