New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday (September 21) announced the dates for Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections. The two states would go to polls on October 21.

In the press conference, the electoral body said that last date to file nomination was October 4, followed by casting a vote on October 21 and the verdict on October 24.



The last date to file nomination is on October 4 and the withdrawal of nomination on October 7.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora also stressed upon having an environmentally friendly campaigning material. Earlier, the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee had urged masses to pitch in ideas for its manifesto for the elections. The BJP came to power in the state in the last Assembly elections.

On the other hand, in Maharashtra, the BJP and Shiv Sena contested 2014 state Assembly elections separately after they failed to arrive at a seat-sharing formula. 

However, they formed the government in an alliance after the elections as none of the parties was able to secure a majority on its own.

On September 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for providing a stable government in the state despite the BJP not having a full majority.