A representative image of a person casting vote.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Chandigarh: Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer, Pankaj Agarwal on Friday said 1,561 candidates from various parties and Independents have filed their nomination papers for the October 5 Assembly elections in the state.
Of the total 90 assembly segments, Bhiwani constituency has the highest number of candidates i.e. 31, while Nangal Chaudhary segment has the lowest with 9 candidates, he said in an official statement.
The last date of filing of nominations was on Thursday. Scrutiny of the nomination papers was to be conducted on Friday and nominations can be withdrawn till September 16.
Among other constituencies, 24 candidates have filed nominations from Ladwa in Kurukshetra, from where Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini is contesting.
From Julana in Jind district, 16 candidates have filed nominations. From this seat, wrestlers Vinesh Phogat of Congress and Kavita Dalal of AAP and BJP's Yogesh Bairagi, a commercial pilot, are locked in a keenly watched contest.
From Uchana Kalan, from where former Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala of JJP is against Congress' Brijendra Singh, 30 candidates have filed nominations, as per the official statement.
Twelve have filed nominations from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi in Rohtak district, where Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda is seeking re-election while 14 candidates have filed papers to contest from Ellenabad in Sirsa district, where INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala is seeking re-election.
Agarwal said the candidates who have filed nominations for the elections can withdraw their nominations until September 16. After this date, the final list of candidates for the 90 assembly constituencies of the state will be published, he said.
In the Haryana Assembly elections of 2014, 1351 candidates had contested, whereas in the 2019 Assembly elections, this number was 1169.
While the ruling BJP is eyeing to return to power for a third term, among the opposition parties in the fray include Congress, AAP, JJP-ASP and INLD-BSP.
Polling for the 90 assembly seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and votes counted on October 8.
The ruling BJP is eyeing a hat-trick in the assembly polls but faces a stiff challenge from a resurgent Congress, which is looking to cash in on the anti-incumbency factor.