60.2 lakh first-time voters, total 16.14 cr electors; EC announces elections for 5 states

New Delhi [India], October 9 : The Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule for assembly polls in Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana.
Elections will be held in Mizoram on November 7, Chhattisgarh on November 7 and November 17, Madhya Pradesh on November 17, Rajasthan on November 23 and Telangana on November 30. The counting of votes will take place on December 3 in all the states.
According to the Election Commission, there are 16.14 crore voters in these five states. Mizoram has 8.52 lakh, Chhattisgarh 2.03 crore, Madhya Pradesh 5.6 crore, Rajasthan 16.14 crores, Telangana 3.17 crores.
The Election Commission informed that there are 8.2 crore male voters while 7.8 crore voters are females.
"Out of the 8.52 lakh voters in Mizoram, 4.13 lakh voters are male and 4.39 lakh are female. In Chattisgarh, there are 1.01 crore male voters while 1.02 crore are female. Madhya Pradesh has 2.88 crore male voters and 2.72 crore female voters. For Rajasthan, there are 2.73 crore male voters and 2.52 crore female voters. In Telangana, there are 1.58 crore male voters and 1.58 crore female voters," according to the data released by EC.
Of the 60.2 lakh first-time voters in five states, 50,611 are first-time voters in Mizoram with 7.23 lakh in Chattisgarh, 22.36 lakh in Madhya Pradesh, 22.04 lakh in Rajasthan 8.11 lakh in Telangana.
There are 17.34 lakh Persons with a disability (PWD) voters in 5 states. EC informed that 100 per cent enrollment has been achieved in Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in four states of Chattisgarh Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan and Telangana
EC also said that there is an improved Electoral Roll Gender Ratio in all five states in comparison to the previous assembly elections in 2018.
According to the polling body, a total of 1.77 lakh polling stations will be set up out of which 1.01 lakhs will have the webcasting facility. "Also 17,734 model polling stations will be set up," the release said.
EC further mentioned that a polling station has been set up at the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border which will save 8 Km of travel for villagers. Similarly a polling booth has been set up in Mamjohli, Barmer specifically for 49 voters in the area.
On the occasion, the C Vigil app was also launched. "It will allow anyone in the election-bound state to report violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) that comes into effect from today. Citizens can immediately report incidents of misconduct within minutes of having witnessed them," EC said.
"Single App for recording, reporting, and resolving violations. GIS location is captured with response in the 100-minute timeline. If the citizen wants, need not give his name and remain anonymous," EC said.
EC also informed an Integrated Election Expenditure Monitoring System portal will help political parties to submit online their Contribution Report, Annual Audited Accounts, and Election Expenditure Statements, Some Parties have already started submitting.
Election Seizure Management System is a tech platform for real-time updates on seizures from the field by multifarious states and central enforcement agencies. It will facilitate qualitative analysis and planning of the seizures. Ensures seamless coordination and intelligence sharing amongst enforcement agencies and will be used for the first time in these five state assembly elections.
For inducement-free elections there will be Joint Operations by central and state enforcement agencies, Intelligence sharing amongst different agencies, there will be a strict vigil on Inter-State Borders.
Congress and BJP are the key players in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Telangana is expected to witness a triangular contest between the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Congress and BJP.
Madhya Pradesh assembly has 230 seats. In the 2018 elections, Congress won 114 seats with a vote share of 41.5 per cent while BJP got 109 seats with a vote share of 41.6 per cent. Congress government lost the majority in 2020 following the resignations of some MLAs considered loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia, who later joined the BJP. The BJP came to power in the state with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the Chief Minister.
Rajasthan has 200 seats with Congress almost winning a majority in the state in 2018 by wresting 99 seats, it came to power with the help of BSP and independent MLAs. The party had a vote share of 39.8 per cent and has ruled the state for the past five years with Ashok Gehlot as Chief Minister. BJP won 73 seats with a vote share of 39.3 per cent in the 2018 polls.
In Telangana, the ruling BRS won 88 of 119 seats and a vote share of 47.4 per cent in the 2018 elections. Congress came at a distant second with 19 seats and a vote share of 28.7 per cent.
Congress stormed to power in Chhattisgarh in the 2018 elections, winning 68 of 90 seats in the state assembly. The party had a vote share of 43.9 per cent. BJP won 15 seats and had a vote share of 33.6 per cent.
In a 40-member Mizoram assembly, Mizo National Front bagged 26 seats with a vote share of 37.8 per cent to emerge victorious in the 2018 polls. Congress secured five seats and BJP won one seat.
Political parties have been making preparations for the assembly polls in five states with their leaders addressing rallies and announcing promises to people.