Assembly Election 2022: The term of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly is ending on 18 February 2023, while the term of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha will end on 8 January 2023.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar during a press conference to announce the schedule of Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, in New Delhi on Friday.
Contrary to expectations, the Election Commission of India did not announce the election schedule for the Gujarat Assembly on Friday. At a press conference in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced that elections to the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly will be held on November 12 and counting of votes will take place on December 8.
When asked by reporters why the Election Commission did not announce the dates for Gujarat elections along with that of Himachal Pradesh, Kumar said the commission was following the precedent in keeping the announcement of the Gujarat Assembly schedule on hold.
The term of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly ends on February 18, 2023, while the term of the Himachal Vidhan Sabha will end on January 8, 2023.
Kumar also cited the weather in Himachal Pradesh as the reason behind the announcement of elections for the earlier hill state.
“There are many factors like weather. We want to hold Himachal elections before the snowfall starts, especially in the upper areas where there is snowfall… The EC followed the convention for the last time after the elections were announced,” Kumar explained.
“There is a gap of 40 days between the expiry of the legislatures of both the states. As per the rules, it should be at least 30 days so that one result does not affect the other,” the CEC said.
Kumar said that more than 55 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise for 68 assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh. 1.86 lakh are first time voters, 1.22 lakh are above 80 years of age and 1,184 are voters who are above 100 years of age.
There are 68 assembly constituencies in the state, of which 17 are reserved for scheduled castes and three for scheduled tribes, where elections are due next month. The hill state has over 55 lakh voters, out of which 67,000 are service voters, 56,000 are persons with disabilities and 1,184 voters are 100+.
As a result of the commission allowing 17+ voters to apply for voter ID cards in advance, Himachal Pradesh will also have 43,173 new voters.
“The commission held various consultations including the COVID consultations with the health secretaries. While this is not so much a concern, we have advised states to follow a five-pronged strategy of testing, track, treat, vaccinate and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour,” Kumar said.
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