Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | FAQs: What are reserved constituencies?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, October 15, announced the dates for the Maharashtra assembly polls 2024. Maharashtra will go to polls on November 20 and the votes will be counted on November 23.

As the state buckles up to vote, candidates are putting their best foot forward to woo the voters in their favour in order to bag victories in their respective constituencies.

Among all these seats in the state, some are referred to as reserved constituencies.

What is a reserved constituency?

A reserved constituency is one where seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Seats are reserved for weaker segments of society based on the population size in reserved constituencies.

The need of reserved constituencies arise due to people who come from weaker sections of society. These include those from SCs and STs, who might not have the contacts, resources, or education to win an election against a general candidate. This move is meant to even out the playing field and give these otherwise marginalised individuals a chance to directly contest polls and participate in the politics of the country.

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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