EC To Announce Schedule For Gujarat, Himachal Polls Today

The Election Commission (EC) is likely to announce the schedule for the assembly polls for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh on Friday.

The EC has called a press conference at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi at 3 pm.

The term of the Gujarat Assembly ends on February 18, 2023 while the term of the Himachal House will end on January 8, 2023.

In the 182-seated Gujarat Assembly, there are 111 BJP and 62 Congress MLAs at present.

Last month, the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey visited Gujarat and Himachal to review poll preparedness.

The 14th Gujarat Legislative Assembly election was held on December 9 and 14 in 2017 to elect the Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). The votes were counted on 18 December.

The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) obtained a simple majority with an increase in the vote share in the last election. Despite a decrease in the number of seats, the BJP retained its simple majority in the house and formed government for the sixth time.

In the results declared for all the 182-seated Gujarat Assembly, BJP won 99 seats, Congress wins 77, 1 seat was won by NCP while Bhartiya Tribal Party and Independent candidate won 2 and 3 seats respectively.

Himachal Pradesh voted to elect its legislative assembly on November 9, 2017.

In the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defeated the Congress Party and won 44 seats while Congress secured only 21 seats in 2017.

At present, in Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly, the BJP has 45 MLAs, while Congress has 22 and CPIM has 1 MLA.

In the upcoming state elections, The AAP is looking to set foot in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

In Gujarat, AAP could not open its account in the previous Assembly elections. After a massive victory in Punjab, the party is looking to spread its wings to other parts of the country.

Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, the Congress is gearing up to challenge the BJP.

With the announcement of the election schedule in both states, the model code of conduct will come into force.

(With Inputs from ANI)

Also Read: IN PICS: President Murmu Offers Prayers at Maa Kamakhya Devalaya