EC to announce election schedule for Gujarat, Himachal today

The Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule for legislative Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh on Friday. The poll body has called a press conference at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi at 3 pm.

The term of the Gujarat Assembly ends on February 18, 2023. In the 182-member House, there are 111 BJP and 62 Congress MLAs. The term of the Himachal House, meanwhile, ends on January 8, 2023. The BJP has 45 MLAs in the House, while Congress has 20.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey visited Gujarat and Himachal in September to review poll preparedness. In Gujarat, they met district election officials, senior police officers and representatives of national parties.

The model code of conduct will come into effect as soon as the schedule for the two states is announced. This is a set of guidelines issued by the the poll body for conduct of political parties and candidates during elections mainly with respect to speeches, polling day, polling booths, portfolios, election manifestos, processions and general conduct.