It will be like mini general election in the country next month as the Election Commission on Friday announced elections/by-elections for the Legislative Assemblies of 10 States. This includes regular polls to be held in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura, each of them having 60 members, in their Assemblies.
While Tripura will have poll on February 14, the elections for Meghalaya and Nagaland Assemblies are scheduled for February 23.
The Assembly by-elections for Alagpur (Assam), Kalyanpur (SC) (Bihar), Chandgad (Maharashtra) will be held on February 24 and that for Chalfilh (ST) (Mizoram), Bhatpar (Uttar Pradesh), Nalhati Birbhum, English Bazar and Rejinagar (West Bengal) and Moga (Punjab) on February 23. The counting of votes for the polls held in all the 10 States will be taken up simultaneously on February 28.
Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath told journalists here that the model code of conduct in the three north-eastern States, which are having regular polls, and those States having by-elections, had come into effect immediately and applicable to the Central and the State governments besides the political parties/contestants.
While Tripura has an electoral strength of about 23.52 lakh, the electorate in Meghalaya and Nagaland were 14.81 lakh and 11.81 lakh respectively. The term of Meghalaya Assembly would expire on March 10, Tripura on March 16 and Nagaland on March 18.