Hindustan Times : Nov 01, 2019, 05:21 PM
Elections in Jharkhand’s 81 assembly constituencies will be held in five phases beginning 30 November, the Election Commission of India announced on Friday. Counting of votes will take place on 23 December.“There were a lot of sensitivities in our mind… We should finish before Christmas,” Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at a media briefing. Arora said the model code of conduct for political parties has kicked in for the state with this announcement.The term of the outgoing assembly expires on 1 January 2020.The five-phase poll has been necessitated on account of Maoist violence in the state.Four out of every five assembly constituencies in the state, a total of 67 constituencies, are affected by Maoist violence, Arora said, stressing that special security arrangements have been made for the state’s Maoist-affected districts.The term of the outgoing assembly expires on 1 January 2020.Follow highlights here:•In phase 5, 16 assembly constituencies will go to voting on 20 December.•In phase 4, 15 assembly constituencies will go to voting on 16 December•In phase 3, 17 assembly constituencies will got to voting on 12 December.• In phase 2, 20 assembly constituencies will got to voting on 7 December.•In phase 1, 13 assembly constituencies will go to voting on 30 November•Term of current assembly is expiring on January 5, 2020. Total electorate in Jharkhand is 2.26 crore. There is 20 per cent increase in the number of polling stations.•19 districts in Jharkhand are sensitive (Maoist-hit) and 13 worst-affected. These together house 67 assembly constituencies.•Adequate security deployment being done and special security arrangements are being put in place in Maoist-affected areas for Jharkhand Assembly polls.•Special forces for battling left-wing extremism in Jharkhand during the polls will be deployed.•Code of conduct to come in place after EC briefing.