The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Friday that it had initiated the process of holding assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.

In a statement, the poll panel said, “After successful completion of the General Election to the 18th Lok Sabha, the Election Commission of India has initiated the preparations for forthcoming Assembly elections in the States of Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand with updation of the electoral rolls in these states w.r.t. 1st July as the qualifying date.”

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The term of the existing legislative assemblies in the three states are going to end on 3rd November, 26th November, and 5th January next year, respectively and the elections are due to be conducted before the completion of their terms in these states, it said.

“Besides, the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir is also to be conducted for constituting a new house after the delimitation of Constituencies. Witnessing the huge participation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Commission has also directed for the updation of the electoral rolls in the UT with July 1 as the qualifying date,” the EC said.

Notably, in December last, the Supreme Court ordered the ECI to hold assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir by 30th September 2024.

“The last Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls was conducted in all the States and UT w.r.t. 1st January 2024 as the qualifying date. After the amendment in Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 by the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021 the provision of four qualifying dates in a year is available now,” the poll panel said.

It said to provide an ample opportunity to all eligible and un-enrolled citizens to get themselves enrolled and thereby get the chance to vote in the upcoming elections has decided to conduct a second SSR of electoral rolls w.r.t. 1st July in Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Stating that it firmly believes pure, inclusive, and updated electoral rolls are the foundation of free, fair, and credible elections, the EC said, “To ensure the fidelity of electoral roll, the Commission is giving special emphasis on the conduct of intensive pre-revision activities before the publication of draft electoral roll.”

The pre-SSR activities will begin from 25th June and the integrated draft electoral roll will be published on 25th July.

The period for filing claims and objections is 25th July to 9th August, and the final electoral roll will be published on 20th August.

The EC appealed to all the eligible citizens to come forward to get them enrolled in the electoral roll, if not enrolled so far, to exercise their voting rights in the forthcoming elections.