Polling began on Wednesday morning in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, where the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is vying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine is hoping for a strong comeback.
Voting began in all the 288 Assembly seats at 7 am and will end at 6 pm, an election official said. The votes will be counted on November 23.
In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP is contesting 149 seats, Shiv Sena is in the fray in 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the opposition's MVA combine, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) has put up 86 candidates.
Meanwhile, polling for 38 Assembly seats in the second and final phase of Jharkhand elections also commenced on Wednesday, amid tight security arrangements.
Altogether 528 candidates, including Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri of the BJP, are trying their luck in the second phase of the elections.
Polling for by-elections to Kedarnath Assembly seat in Uttarakhand, nine Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh and Kerala's Palakkad Assembly constituency are also under way.
Jharkhand polls: Presiding officer replaced after allegations of favouring candidate
November 20, 2024 1:03 pm
Jharkhand BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said he had filed a complaint with the Election Commission against a presiding officer for allegedly "favouring a ruling party candidate" in Madhupur Assembly constituency during voting. Dubey claimed that following his complaint, the officer was arrested. However, the Deoghar administration said the officer was replaced after being found too close to the voting compartment, which is against Election Commission rules.
Mahayuti will get thumping majority, people will vote for development: CM Eknath Shinde
November 20, 2024 1:01 pm
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Shinde, who heads the ruling Shiv Sena and seeking his re-election from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency in Thane, cast his vote along with his family members, including his MP son Shrikant Shinde.
Uddhav casts vote with family; urges people to protect Maharashtra's self-respect through voting
November 20, 2024 12:57 pm
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Thackeray cast vote with his wife Rashmi and sons Aaditya and Tejas in Bandra East.
Bitcoin misappropriation: Will fight BJP's allegations legally, says Congress leader Patole
November 20, 2024 12:22 pm
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole slammed the BJP for dragging him in its allegations of Bitcoins misappropriation to influence the state polls and said he would take the legal route to fight the "fake" charges against him. After casting his vote in Bhandara district, Patole said he is a farmer and has nothing to do with Bitcoins.
Bitcoin row: BJP targets Sule, Patole
November 20, 2024 12:20 pm
BJP intensified its attack on Maharashtra opposition leaders Supriya Sule and Nana Patole for their alleged involvement in using Bitcoins illegally to fund elections, and claimed their roles will surface during the probe. Sule has rejected the charges, including the audio records purportedly featuring her voice, as fake and said she has filed complaint with the Election Commission and the Maharashtra Police.
UP bypolls: Voting underway in nine Assembly seats; 20.51% turnout at 11 am
November 20, 2024 12:16 pm
Bypolls: Kedarnath records 17.69% polling at 11 am
November 20, 2024 12:16 pm
Voter turnout of 31.37 pc recorded in 38 Assembly seats till 11 am in final phase of Jharkhand polls
November 20, 2024 12:11 pm
For first time, I have come alone to vote: Zeeshan casts vote, remembers his father Baba Siddique
November 20, 2024 11:53 am
Investigate Bitcoin cash-for-vote allegation: Devendra Fadnavis as he casts his vote in Nagpur
November 20, 2024 11:49 am
18.14 per cent voter turnout till 11 am in Maharashtra Assembly elections
November 20, 2024 11:47 am
Maharashtra: 21 EVMs replaced in Hingoli during mock polls
November 20, 2024 11:22 am
Officials said this did not impact the voting process in the booths concerned. Mock drills of voting took place in every booth of the district before the polling started Wednesday morning.
Maharashtra polls: Rahul Gandhi, Kharge urge voters to protect self-respect, constitution
November 20, 2024 10:48 am
We are definitely going to form government in Jharkhand: Kalpana Soren
November 20, 2024 10:38 am
Sachin Tendulkar, his wife and daughter cast votes in Mumbai
November 20, 2024 10:30 am
Come out and vote, polls will decide Maharashtra's future: Sharad Pawar to voters
November 20, 2024 10:04 am
6.61 per cent voter turnout till 9am in Maharashtra Assembly elections
November 20, 2024 10:01 am
Gadchiroli district witnessed 12.33 per cent turnout in the first two hours of polling. The Armori Assembly segment in the district registered 13.53 per cent polling. Mumbai city recorded 6.25 per cent polling.
Jharkhand polls: 13 pc voter turnout recorded in 38 assembly seats till 9 am
November 20, 2024 9:54 am
The ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc is seeking to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, while the BJP-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is trying to wrest it.
Bypolls: Kedarnath records 4.30 per cent polling in first hour
November 20, 2024 9:53 am
The Assembly seat in Rudraprayag district fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat in July this year. There are six candidates in the fray, with BJP's Asha Nautiyal and Congress's Manoj Rawat seen to be locked in a straight contest.
UP bypolls: CM Yogi Adityanath, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav urge people to cast their votes
November 20, 2024 9:52 am
Voting is underway in Meerapur, Ghaziabad, Kundarki, Khair, Karhal, Sisamau, Katehari, Majhawan, and Phulpur.
Bypoll: Kerala's Palakkad witnesses moderate turnout after first hour of polling
November 20, 2024 9:51 am
The first hour of voting in the Palakkad Assembly bypoll witnessed a low turnout of 1.11 per cent at 8 am which climbed to 6.76 per cent by 8.30 am, according to figures released by the Election Commission.
Actors Akshay Kumar, Rajkummar Rao, Shubha Khote cast vote in Maharashtra Assembly elections
November 20, 2024 9:16 am
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“Everyone should come out and vote because that's the most important thing,” Kumar told reporters after casting his vote.
Ajit Pawar, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat among early voters
November 20, 2024 9:01 am
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Bhagwat exercised his franchise at a polling booth in Nagpur's Mahal area soon after the voting began at 7 am.
