<p>Mizoram heads to polls on November 7, during which time Chhattisgarh will see its first phase of polling. The Assembly elections, results for which will be out on December 3, will see both states get a new Chief Minister. </p><p>Ahead of the polls, here's a look at how the CM of a state is elected. </p><p>As per Article 164, the Governor of a state appoints the Chief Minister. They cannot, however, appoint anyone according to their free will. </p><p>After the elections to the State Legislative Assembly, the governor extends an invitation to the winning party or coalition which has secured the majority votes to form government. The MLAs of the party which has secured most votes end up deciding who will be the next CM. In the state Assembly elections, members are elected directly through voting. </p><p>A set of candidates are fielded from every constituency and adults from that constituency exercise their franchise and vote for the preferred candidate. For a party to secure majority, they have to win 50 per cent plus one seat in the elections. </p><p>When parties enter the electoral fray, they either decide their Chief Ministerial candidate in the course of the elections or after the results are out. Once a party has reached a decision to declare their candidate, he/she has to win in at least one of the constituencies that they choose to run from. If the party secures a majority in the state elections but the candidate loses his/her respective constituency, they can still become the Chief Minister, but they have to win a bypoll election in six months. </p><p>The Chief Minister is the primary link between the Governor and the Ministers and heads the state Legislative Assembly.</p>
<p>Mizoram heads to polls on November 7, during which time Chhattisgarh will see its first phase of polling. The Assembly elections, results for which will be out on December 3, will see both states get a new Chief Minister. </p><p>Ahead of the polls, here's a look at how the CM of a state is elected. </p><p>As per Article 164, the Governor of a state appoints the Chief Minister. They cannot, however, appoint anyone according to their free will. </p><p>After the elections to the State Legislative Assembly, the governor extends an invitation to the winning party or coalition which has secured the majority votes to form government. The MLAs of the party which has secured most votes end up deciding who will be the next CM. In the state Assembly elections, members are elected directly through voting. </p><p>A set of candidates are fielded from every constituency and adults from that constituency exercise their franchise and vote for the preferred candidate. For a party to secure majority, they have to win 50 per cent plus one seat in the elections. </p><p>When parties enter the electoral fray, they either decide their Chief Ministerial candidate in the course of the elections or after the results are out. Once a party has reached a decision to declare their candidate, he/she has to win in at least one of the constituencies that they choose to run from. If the party secures a majority in the state elections but the candidate loses his/her respective constituency, they can still become the Chief Minister, but they have to win a bypoll election in six months. </p><p>The Chief Minister is the primary link between the Governor and the Ministers and heads the state Legislative Assembly.</p>
