Assembly elections 2018: Voting in Chhattisgarh on 12, 20 Nov; Rajasthan and Telangana on 12 Nov; Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram on 28 Nov; Counting on 11 Dec

The Model Code of Conduct will come into force with immediate effect as soon as Election Commissioner OP Rawat announces the poll dates.

The Election Commission on Saturday announced the dates for the upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana. The elections in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases on 12 and 20th November. The other four states will go to poll in a single phase. Voting in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram will be held on 28 November while voting in Rajasthan and Telangana will be held on December 7. The entire election exercise will end by December 15.

While the term of the Mizoram Assembly ends on December 15, the terms of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan assemblies are to end on January 5, 2019, January 7 and January 20 respectively. The Model Code of Conduct comes into force with immediate effect, Election Commissioner OP Rawat said. 

Even before the announcement of poll dates, the Congress questioned the independence of the EC. The allegation cropped up after the EC changed the announcement of the poll dates from 12:30 pm to 3 pm. The Congress claimed that the change was made so that the timings do not clash with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Rajasthan. However, the EC rubbished the claims and listed out the reasons for the delay.

Catch the live updates on the EC announcement here:

06 October 2018

15:38 IST

By-polls in Shimoga, Bellary and Mandya in Karnataka to be held on 3rd November: Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat

15:25 IST

Counting for all states will be held on 11 December

15:25 IST

Rajasthan and Telangana: Single phase elections
Notification: 12 November 
Scrutiny: 20 November
Last date of withdrawal: 22 November 
Poll: 7 December 

15:22 IST

Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram: Single phase elections
Notification: 2 November 
Last date of nomination: 9 November
Last date of withdrawal: 14 November 
Poll: 28 November  

15:19 IST

Chhattisgarh: Elections in 2 phases

1st phase in 18 assembly constituencies:
Notification issued on: 16 October
Last date of nomination: 23 oct
Scrutiny: 24 October 
Last date of withdrawal: 26th oct
Poll: 12 November  

2nd phase in 72 constituencies:
Last date of nomination: 2 November
Scrutiny: 3 November
Last date of withdrawal: 5 November 
Poll: 20 November  

15:16 IST

Election Commissioner OP Rawat: Commission is committed to holding free and fair elections

15:12 IST

Model code of conduct comes into effect in all these 4 states as soon as the announcement is made. The poll code is already in force in Telangana.

15:10 IST

Election Commissioner OP Rawat: We have suggested a few changes to the candidates in the filing of affidavits, those changes will be made in the current elections. 

15:08 IST

Election Commissioner OP Rawat: This year, the election commission's theme is accessible elections, hence the voter slips will be made available in braille. Voter assessment booths will also be set up by the Election Commission. All women polling booths will also be set up where the security personnel will also be women.

15:05 IST

All four states will go to polls simultaneously. As Telangana dissolved its assembly, EC has to hold the elections within six months, so the elections will be held there as well. 

15:04 IST

EC OP Rawat: Political parties are political creatures and have to see politics in everything. Political statements. There is no truth in them 

15:02 IST

We are here to announce the dates for the elections. We apologise for the change in timings. The reason was: One of the states had to publish the electoral roll on October 8 and we had a meeting with the experts last night regarding the same. Also there was a case pending in high court where the electoral roll needs to be mentioned in front of the court. 

14:50 IST

While the poll dates for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram will be announced, it is not yet clear whether the dates for Telangana elections will be announced or not. 

14:48 IST

News agency ANI has quoted a source saying that the Election Commission has not yet decided the dates and the meeting at 2:30 pm was called to finalise the dates and announce it at the press conference at 3 pm.

14:43 IST

The Election Commission's press conference was earlier scheduled to take place at 12:30 pm but was moved to 3 pm. Following the change in schedule, several opposition leaders had hit out at the poll body.

14:42 IST

The Congress on Saturday alleged that the EC delayed its scheduled press conference to announce poll dates for four states on account of PM Narendra Modi's speech at a public rally in Rajashthan. However, the EC rubbished the claims and said that it was done because due to the short notice, many journalists said they would not be able to attend the press conference.