Maharashtra, Jharkhand Assembly polls: All set for counting of votes on Saturday
The counting of votes for the recently concluded Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand will begin at 8 am on Saturday.
“Counting of postal ballots will start at 8 am, and trends will start coming from 9-9:15 am,” officials said.
In Maharashtra, all eyes will be on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback.
The final turnout in the Maharashtra Assembly polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019, election officials said.
Counting of votes will also be held for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voting was recorded on November 20.
A total of 288 counting centres have been set up for the counting of votes on Saturday, including one for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll.
In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies.
In the opposition’s MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates.
Parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also contested, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM putting up 17 candidates.
In Jharkhand, the stage is set for the outcome of the “battle of ballots” on Saturday, as political leaders and parties anxiously await the results that will decide whether the BJP-led NDA or the JMM-led alliance will form the next government in the state.
Counting of postal ballots will start at 8 am, and the trends and results are likely to start trickling in by 9 am.
This time, voter turnout reached a record 67.74 per cent, the highest since the formation of the state on November 15, 2000.
“Preparations are on for the counting day on November 23. Elaborate counting arrangements have been made at all the counting centres and observers have been appointed for each Assembly constituency separately. Each table will be headed by an ARO to ensure fair counting of postal ballots,” an Election Commission official said on Friday.
“The entire process will take place in a transparent manner under the full glare of the media and candidates or their agents, who are encouraged to keep a close watch on the process,” the official said, adding that strong rooms have been fortified with adequate security and video surveillance to ensure complete transparency in the counting process.
“Counting of postal ballots will start at 8 am, and trends will start coming from 9-9:15 am,” the official added.
The elections were held in two phases – November 13 and 20. The first phase covered 43 constituencies out of the total 81 seats, while the second phase saw voting in 38 seats.
The state witnessed a fierce electoral battle between the ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc and the BJP-led NDA, with the former seeking to retain power and the latter attempting to wrest it from the ruling dispensation.
While some exit polls predict that the BJP-led NDA is likely to oust the ruling JMM-led coalition, others forecast the return of the INDIA alliance in Jharkhand. All eyes will be on key seats that will decide the electoral fates of prominent politicians.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren contested from Barhait, his wife Kalpana from Gandey, while the Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri (BJP) contested from Chandankiyari.
A total of 1,211 candidates were in the fray, including Babulal Marandi from the BJP in Dhanwar and Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato from the JMM in Nala.
