New Delhi: India is gearing up for the grand festival of democracy with the impending general elections 2024 to elect the members of the 18th Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the states. 

The election commission will announced today, March 16, at 3 pm, the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections and four assembly elections, scheduled to be held at the same time.  

State Assembly Elections are part of the comprehensive elecoral process in India and plays crucial role in determining the formation of legislative bodies at the state level which influences governance and policy-making at regional scale. 

The state-level elections hold massive significance among political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and other regional parties, as they get hold of the state legislatures, enabling their decision-making body to develop state as per their respective agenda. 

In 2024, several states are scheduled to hold Legislative Assembly elections, which will be crucial in determining the composition of the state assemblies, thereby playing a significant role in the federal structure of India.

The ECI posted a brief statement on X and said dates for four Assembly polls - scheduled to be held around the same time - would also be announced. The four states expected to vote in April/May are Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim, with Maharashtra, Haryana, and Jharkhand scheduled to vote later this year.

Amid the preparation for mega 2024 electoral process, Ram Nath Kovind-led panel submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu, recommending holding of simultaneous general and Assembly elections.