New Delhi, August 31
Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh will go to polls on October 13 to elect new assemblies. This was announced by Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla here on Monday. While the counting for single-phase elections in the three states would be held on October 22, the model code of conduct comes into effect from today.

This will be first major “political test” for the parties after the Lok Sabha polls which ended in May this year.

All the three states are ruled by the Congress. In Maharashtra, the party shares power with Sharad Pawar-led NCP. While Haryana has a 90-member assembly, the seats in Maharashtra and Arunachal are 288 and 60, respectively.

Notification for the elections to these states will be issued on September 18 and the last date for filing of nominations will be September 25. The scrutiny of nomination papers will take place the next day. Te last date for withdrawal of nominations will be on September 29.

Addressing a press conference to announce the dates, Chawla, who was accompanied by Election Commissioners SY Quraishi and VS Sampath, also laid to rest controversies regarding the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) saying, “They are functioning properly and we have no doubts from our side.”

However, a two-stage random picking of EVMs will be carried out. This will be done in presence of election observers, political parties and their representatives.

In the first stage, the EVMs kept at the district storage center will be randomly picked for allocation to specific assembly constituencies. The second stage will be carried out after the candidates are finalised.

Replying to querry as to why there was a longish gap between the day of polling and counting, Chawla said polling parties in Arunchal have to walk back to reach their destinations. Though three choppers will be placed at the disposal of the state, all places do not have copter- landing facilities.

Notably, Assembly elections for Haryana were advanced by the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government earlier this month in the backdrop of Congress' good show in Lok Sabha elections in the state, where nine out of ten seats went to the party.

On being asked about the Haryana government issuing advertisements ahead of the polls, Chawla said complaints can be entertained only after the model code of conduct was enforced. The EC said the identification of voters at the polling booth will be compulsory at the time of polls. EPIC cards are with 88. 42 per cent of voters in Arunanchal, while 99 per cent have it in Haryana and 80.35 per cent have it in Maharashtra. More EPIC cards would be prepared and voters should obtain them, Chawla added.

Regarding the model code, the EC said it applies to the three states, candidates, political parties, the state governments concerned and the Union Government. Instructions have been already given that no poll official or police officer of the rank of sub-inspector and above should continue in his home district. Besides, instructions have also been issued that all poll officials, including the cops, who have been there for three years in a district during last four years should be transferred out of that district.

The Commission has also told the states to not ssociate any officer with the electoral process against whom charges have been framed in a court. Meanwhile, Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda welcomed the poll announcement saying his party was ready to face the electorate and will return to power. Abhay Chautala of the INLD said the poll announcement will at least stop the misuse of government machinery for publicity.