‘Parties told us to announce election dates keeping Diwali in mind’: CEC Rajiv Kumar on Maharashtra assembly elections | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Election Commission delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and two commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu on Friday met the stakeholders including political parties and officials during the ongoing 2-day visit to Maharashtra ahead of assembly elections.
During a presser, Kumar said that parties told the polling panel to announce the dates of election keeping in mind festivals like Diwali.
“We met all stakeholders including political parties and officials ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections. Parties told us to announce Maharashtra assembly polls keeping in mind festivals like Diwali,” Kumar said.
“I am confident that Maharashtra will contribute to the festival of democracy,” he added.
The CEC also laid down the security arrangements and scrutiny to ensure “level playing field” in the upcoming elections.
“There will be checking of all helicopters to ensure inducement-free assembly elections in Maharashtra,” Kumar said.
Maharashtra legislative Assembly elections will be held in 288 constituencies. The Election Commission of India has yet to announce the dates for the election.
The upcoming polls will see a contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, comprising the UBT Shiv Sena, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, and the Maha Yuti Alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).
The new government in Maharashtra must be formed by November 26, when the current government’s term ends.