New Delhi: The Election Commission of India  on Friday announced the schedule for the Jharkhand assembly elections. CEC Sunil Arora said the elections in the eastern state will be held in 5 phases starting November 30. Counting of votes for the 81-member assembly will be held on December 23.

The other phases of polling will take place on December 7, 12, 16 and 20.

First phase (13 seats): Nov 30
Second phase (20 seats): Dec 7
Third phase (17 seats): Dec 12
Fourth phase (15 seats): Dec 16
Fifth phase (16 seats): Dec 20

Sunil Arora also said that 19 districts in Jharkhand are affected by Naxalism, which consist of 67 assembly seats.

The Jharkhand Legislative Assembly’s tenure is ending on December 27

There were speculations that the Election Commission would also announce schedule for the Delhi Assembly elections but that didn't happen today and may take place at a later date.

Assembly polls in Jharkhand were not announced along with those of Haryana and Maharashtra as the term of its assembly ends in January and there was no recommendation from the state Chief Minister for early polls. (Watch CEC Sunil Arora's full press conference on Jharkhand elections)



State’s political parties except the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had demanded that the Assembly polls in the state should take place in a single phase.

The election comes at a time when the Haryana and Maharashtra elections have not yielded results as per the expectations of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In Jharkhand, Chief Minister Raghubar Das-led BJP is hoping to retain power in the state. BJP claims it will provide a stable, clean and development-oriented government in Jharkhand, while the Opposition has alleged the state's progress has stalled under its rule.

In 2014, while the BJP won 37 seats, its ally All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) won five.

The combined tally was enough for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to cross the majority mark of 41 in the 81-member Assembly

In 2009 assembly polls, the BJP and the JMM secured 18 seats each with a vote share of 20.18 per cent and 15.2 per cent, respectively. Congress won 14 seats with 16.16 per cent votes, while the JVM won 11 seats and secured 8.99 per cent of the votes. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) won five seats each, while two seats went to the kitty of Janata Dal (United).