New Delhi:Chief Election Commissioner of India AK Joti today addressed a press conference and announced election schedule for Himachal Pradesh assembly. Polling date for Himachal has been declared as November 9 while counting will take place on December 18. Polling dates of Gujarat are yet to be announced. Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti said polling in Gujarat will be over before December 18, the date on which counting of Himachal Pradesh elections is scheduled. Joti said elections are announced 46 days ahead of first polling date. Himachal Pradesh schedule has been announced earlier because validity of present term of Himachal Pradesh assembly expired on January 7. The election dates for Himachal Pradesh are fixed in the month of November to avoid difficulties to voters in case of snowfall in December. Validity of present term of assembly in Gujarat expires on January 22. Therefore polling dates in Gujarat are to be announced in another press conference later. In order to ensure that voting pattern of one state doesn’t affect the other state, polling in Gujarat will be completed before December 18 which is counting date for Himachal elections.

Official press statement

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