Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024: Voting underway across 288 constituencies
The electoral battle is poised to be a face-off between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Within the Mahayuti alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting the maximum number of seats, fielding candidates in 148 constituencies.
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FollowVoting is underway in Maharashtra for the state assembly elections, covering all 288 constituencies. Of these, 234 seats fall under the general category, while 29 are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and 25 for Scheduled Tribes (ST). According to the state election office, 4,140 candidates remain in the fray after 2,938 withdrew their nominations from a total of 7,078 valid applications.
The electoral battle is poised to be a face-off between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Within the Mahayuti alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting the maximum number of seats, fielding candidates in 148 constituencies. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has candidates in 80 constituencies, while Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will contest 53 seats.
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The opposition MVA has divided its seat allocations strategically. The Congress leads with 103 candidates, followed by Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), contesting 89 seats, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP (SP), which has fielded candidates in 87 constituencies. The remaining six seats have been distributed among smaller allies of the MVA.
This election sees a total of 9.7 crore eligible voters, including 5 crore men, 4.69 crore women, and 6,101 individuals identifying as the third gender. Notably, 47,392 centenarians are registered to vote, with the oldest voter recorded at 109 years. Additionally, over 22 lakh young voters, aged 18-19 years, will cast their votes for the first time.
The Election Commission of India has introduced a key administrative change, appointing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner as the district election officer for both districts in Mumbai. This decision aims to streamline election oversight in the state’s financial capital.
Security has been tightened across polling stations to ensure a smooth voting process, with authorities urging citizens to exercise their democratic right. The Election Commission has also taken measures to assist elderly and differently-abled voters at polling booths.
The results of the Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled to be announced on November 23, setting the stage for the next phase of the state's political landscape.
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