Followed 2017 convention in not announcing Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat poll dates together, says CEC Kumar

After poll dates for Gujarat Assembly elections were not announced, the Election Commission on Friday cited convention followed in 2017 of not announcing the poll dates for both Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat together. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has not been “unnecessarily extended” this time.

When asked by reporters why the poll dates of both the states were not announced together, Kumar said that ECI goes by convention in announcing election schedules, and it went by the convention “last followed”, i.e, in 2017, the announcement was made on two different dates, however, the counting took place on December 18 together.

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Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat assemblies tenure will end on January 8, 2023 and February 18, 2023 respectively.

Noting that while following convention, EC in fact “refined” it, Kumar said the MCC period has been reduced from 70 days to 57 from 2017 elections and from 81 days to 57 from 2012 polls, when elections to both states were held together, adding that wait for results has been reduced by two weeks than the 2017 elections.

In 2017, Himachal Pradesh went to polls on November 9, while Gujarat exercised its franchise in two phases — December 9 and 14, and counting for both states was held on December 18.

The CEC said while conducting elections, several factors are taken into account, including variable factors, as well as the result of one election on another are also considered. He said that for Himachal Pradesh, weather plays an important factor, especially for the upper reaches of the state, where heavy snowfall takes place.

The delay in the announcement dates led to some opposition leaders pointing that this could allow the incumbent government to roll out more welfare schemes before MCC comes into force.

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On Friday, the EC announced the poll dates for the upcoming Himachal Pradesh elections. The polling for all 68 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single-phase on November 12, and counting on December 8.

(With PTI inputs)