AMN / NEW DELHI
Assembly elections in Gujarat will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5 with the counting of votes on December 8 along with that of Himachal Pradesh, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced today.
Of the total 182 assembly seats in Gujarat, voting for 89 seats will be held on December 1 and the balance 93 seats on December 5, Kumar told a press conference that was also attended by Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey and senior officials from the poll authority.
EC brushes aside opposition criticism of bias in delaying the poll announcement for the state contending that the Commission had to balance many things
CEC Rajiv Kumar (2nd left) with Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey (2nd right) and Deputy Election Commissioner Nitesh Vyas (left) during a press conference for the announcement of schedule of assembly elections in Gujarat.
The term of the Gujarat assembly ends on February 18, 2023 and the elections have been announced 110 days in advance, Kumar said.
It is a combination of multiple factors and we are well within the factors of consideration, including polls in nearby states, the chief election commissioner said.
He indicated that the elections could have been announced a couple of days earlier, but for the tragedy that took place in the state.