EC team to visit Maharashtra to review poll preparedness

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar.
| Photo Credit: PTI

An Election Commission (EC) team headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar will be in Mumbai from September 26 to September 28 to assess the preparations for the upcoming election in Maharashtra. The visit comes as political activity ramps up in the western State, with a focus on ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections in 288 Assembly constituencies.

During their visit, the 14-member team will hold a series of meetings with key stakeholders, including senior officials from the State’s election machinery, enforcement agencies, and representatives from various political parties. The primary objective of the visit is to review the overall readiness for the upcoming polls, which includes a comprehensive evaluation of the electoral rolls, polling station arrangements, security measures, and the implementation of voter outreach programmes.

Earlier this week, the team was in Jharkhand to review the preparedness for the upcoming election in that State. The poll body is expected to announce the schedules for both Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections as soon as the current round is over. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde recently suggested that the polls are likely to be held in mid-November.

Speaking to The Hindu, an official privy to the development said the delegation is expected to reach Mumbai late on Thursday and will conduct four meetings with the officials of the CEO on Friday, district election officers, commissioners and superintendents of police, and other senior police officials followed by discussion with political parties to address any concerns regarding the election process, including voter registration, electronic voting machines (EVMs), and compliance with the Model Code of Conduct.

“Though elections were held in a single phase in 2009, 2014, and 2019, we need to see if the ECI wants to conduct this year’s polls in multiple phases. It is very likely that the polls might happen in at least two to three phases this time,” the officer said.

Maharashtra with over 9.5 crore registered voters is expected to be a battleground State in the forthcoming election, with the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP alliance facing challenges from Opposition parties— Congress, the NCP(SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT). Recent developments in State politics, including factionalism within the Shiv Sena and NCP and the growing influence of smaller parties, are likely to influence the electoral landscape.

The EC’s visit will also include a review of the implementation of its initiatives aimed at making the election process more inclusive, such as the enrolment of young voters, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.