Gujarat Assembly Election 2017: State to go on poll on 9th and 14th December, declares EC

Gujarat polls will be conducted in two phases and the dates have been finalised as 9th and 14th December.

The results will be declared on 18th December.

Earlier, the election watchdog experienced harsh criticism for not declaring the dates for Gujarat assembly polls, alongside that of Himachal Pradesh.

The Opposition also charged that the poll body did not declare the date for Gujarat polls as it was pressurized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to postpone it.

The Election Commission had, however, dismissed the Opposition's charge and asserted that no special preference was given to any political party.

"We have given equal opportunities to all political parties. We have not directed any party to hold or to not hold their rallies in the state. We are not meddling in their campaigns. Yesterday, the Prime Minister went to Gujarat. Today, Rahul Gandhi will go. We are not giving any special preference to any political party," Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti had told ANI, in an exclusive interview.

The Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti said, “No candidate can spend more than Rs 28 lakhs on campaigning. Model code of conduct is now in effect”.