Assembly elections in 2024 and their electoral dynamics

As many as eight states will go to the assembly polls in 2024. These elections will shape each state's political landscape, determining the future governance and policies.

Andhra Pradesh

All state legislative assembly members of Andhra Pradesh will be elected before May 2024. The ruling YSR Congress Party, led by chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, aims to defend its overwhelming victory in 2019, securing 151 out of 175 seats.

Arunachal Pradesh

With 60 seats, elections are set to take place around April 2024. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governs the state, led by chief minister Pema Khandu, while the Congress holds four seats.

Odisha

As the tenure of the current Odisha legislative assembly is set to end on June 2, 2024, the Odisha legislative assembly elections are scheduled to be held in or before June 2024. The state, led by chief minister Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal, is scheduled to hold elections for its 147-member assembly. The BJP and Congress hold 23 and nine seats, respectively.

Sikkim

Elections for its 32-member assembly are slated for April 2024. Currently, it is governed by the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, with Prem Singh Tamang as chief minister.

Maharashtra

Scheduled for October 2024, Maharashtra's Legislative Assembly elections will see 288 seats in contention. The state witnessed a coalition government comprising the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and BJP. However, internal conflicts led to the formation of the MVA coalition with the NCP and Congress after the NDA alliance secured a majority in 2019.

Haryana

Ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party in alliance with the Jannayak Janata Party and independent MLAs, Haryana gears up for elections around October 2024.

Lok Sabha Election Procedure

The Lok Sabha elections, also known as the general elections in India, are conducted to elect members of Parliament (MPs) who represent the people in the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of Parliament.

Election Schedule Announcement:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announces the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections. The schedule includes the dates for various phases of polling, counting of votes, and declaration of results.

Voter Registration:

Eligible citizens are required to register themselves as voters. The ECI conducts various voter registration drives to ensure maximum participation.

Candidate Nomination:

Political parties and independent candidates nominate their candidates for the Lok Sabha seats. Nomination papers are submitted to the returning officer of the respective constituency within the specified time frame.

Scrutiny of Nominations:

The returning officer scrutinises the nomination papers to ensure that candidates fulfil all eligibility criteria and there are no discrepancies. Objections, if any, raised against nominations are also addressed during this process.

Withdrawal of Candidature:

Candidates have the option to withdraw their nomination papers within a specified period after scrutiny. Once the withdrawal process is completed, the final list of candidates is prepared.

Polling:

The Lok Sabha elections are conducted through electronic voting machines or EVMs and Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail or VVPAT machines. Polling takes place across multiple phases in different constituencies as per the election schedule.

Counting of Votes:

After the completion of all phases of polling, the votes cast are counted. The counting process is supervised by the ECI and conducted in the presence of candidates and their agents.

Declaration of Results:

Once the counting of votes is completed, the election commission announces the results for each Lok Sabha constituency. The candidate securing the highest number of valid votes is declared the winner and becomes the MP.

Formation of Government:

The political party or coalition that secures a majority of seats in the Lok Sabha forms the government. The leader of the majority party or coalition is invited by the President of India to become the prime minister.

Oath-taking:

Elected MPs take an oath of office before assuming their roles and responsibilities in the Lok Sabha.