Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar Discusses Maharashtra Elections Amid Upcoming Festivals
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Saturday that political parties have requested the Election Commission to consider upcoming festivals like Diwali and Chhath Puja when scheduling the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Kumar addressed a press conference in Mumbai, stating that they met with leaders from 11 parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SP).
“We have come here for the preparation of the upcoming Assembly elections that are going to take place in Maharashtra. We met with the leaders of national parties and regional parties. We met the stakeholders, DM, Commissioner of Police, DGP…They have asked us to consider festivals like Diwali, Dev Diwali, and Chhath Puja before announcing the dates of the elections,” Kumar said.
Kumar further informed that the total electors in the state are 9.59 crores, with males being 4.59 crores and females being 4.64 crores. “In Maharashtra, there are 288 constituencies, of which ST constituencies are 25 and SC constituencies are 29. The term of the Maharashtra legislative assembly is ending on November 26 so elections have to be completed before that. First-time voters from 18-19 years are quite encouraging, around 19.48 lakhs,” he added.
The upcoming polls will see a contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, comprising the UBT Shiv Sena, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, and the Maha Yuti Alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).
Earlier, the Election Commission of India sought the status of FIRs related to electoral offences during the Lok Sabha elections 2024 from the Superintendent of Police of districts in Maharashtra. Kumar directed SPs to review all cases related to personnel, EVM, and social media, emphasizing swift response and action on fake news. State Police Nodal Officers were asked to expedite all LS 2024 cases without any laxity.
During the review meeting, Kumar directed all District Election Officers and Superintendents of Police to ensure minimum facilities and proper management of voter queues at polling stations. He also instructed DEOs to visit polling stations personally to review arrangements, provide benches for voters, drinking water, and manage parking in congested areas. Multiple polling stations in one location should have proper signages and directions for guiding voters.
The ECI team, led by Kumar, is on a two-day visit to Mumbai to review the poll preparedness of the Maharashtra Assembly election. During the review meeting on Friday with Maharashtra’s top officials, Kumar questioned why more than 100 police inspectors are holding key positions in Mumbai.
Doubts Revealed
Chief Election Commissioner -: The Chief Election Commissioner is the head of the Election Commission of India, which is responsible for conducting elections in the country.
Rajiv Kumar -: Rajiv Kumar is the current Chief Election Commissioner of India, the person in charge of overseeing elections.
Maharashtra -: Maharashtra is a state in western India, known for its capital city, Mumbai.
Diwali -: Diwali is a major Hindu festival, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrated with lamps, fireworks, and sweets.
Chhath Puja -: Chhath Puja is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God, celebrated mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
Assembly elections -: Assembly elections are held to elect representatives to the state legislative assembly, which makes laws for the state.
288 constituencies -: A constituency is a specific area whose voters elect a representative to the legislative assembly. Maharashtra has 288 such areas.
Election Commission -: The Election Commission of India is an independent body that conducts free and fair elections in the country.
