Madhya Pradesh election schedule: The Election Commission of India on Monday announced the schedule of the upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the polls in Madhya Pradesh will be held in a single phase. Follow full coverage of the polls here.

The election process in Madhya Pradesh will begin with the issue of notification on October 13. The last date of nomination for the candidate will be on October 20. Their candidature will be scrutinised on October 21.

As per the rules of the election commission, candidates can withdraw their candidature by October 23.

The voting will be held on November 17. The results of the elections will be announced on December 3.

Madhya Pradesh is among five states to undergo Assembly elections this year, setting the stage for the last major electoral exercise ahead of the 2024 national elections.

Polls will also be held in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram. While the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) rules Telangana, Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP. The Congress is in power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and the Mizo National Front is in power in the northeastern state.

In 2018, the Congress won the Madhya Pradesh elections, but lost power to the BJP in March 2020 after the resignations of 22 legislators.

The BJP has since 2003 been in power (barring 18 months between 2018 and 2020) in the state, where its government, led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, faces anti-incumbency and infighting. Madhya Pradesh is one of the largest states that sends 29 members to the Lok Sabha.

With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections just months away, the upcoming assembly elections will not only determine the political landscape at the state level but are also likely to have implications at the national level. Political parties have been actively gearing up for these contests, with high-stake battles expected in several constituencies.