The Election Commission of India has announced the dates for assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, which will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections in these states.
In Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the assembly polls will be held on April 19, when the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections will be held. Andhra Pradesh assembly elections will be held on May 13 simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls there.
For Odisha, the Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be held in four phases from May 13 (Phase 4). The remaining phases in the state are May 20 (Phase 5), May 25 (Phase 6) and June 1 (Phase 7). Check out phase-wise dates HERE.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced that by-elections will also be held for 26 assembly seats in states such as Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
The poll verdict will be announced on June 4 after counting is completed.
Though there were rumours that the assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls, it was debunked by the poll panel. The Chief Election Commissioner said the assembly elections in Union Territory will be held “soon after Lok Sabha elections” due to security concerns, with both events deemed unfeasible to be held simultaneously.
"But we stand committed that as soon as these elections are over ... we will have availability of (security) forces then, we will hold elections there (in Jammu and Kashmir) as soon as possible," Kumar said.
