Electioneering in Chhattisgarh has gained momentum, as campaigning for the first phase of Assembly elections in the state ends today. 18 constituencies will go to the polls in the phase on Monday. Out of the 18, 12 constituencies are in the Maoist-affected tribal Bastar region, while 6 are in Rajnandgaon division. Today, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is scheduled to address a Congress worker's convention in Raipur. In the second phase, 72 constituencies will go to the polls on the 19th of this month.

The notification to the Delhi Assembly Polls will be issued today. With this, the process of the filing nominations by the candidates will begin.

Delhi Election Office has directed all mobile service providers to stop political bulk SMS services 48 hours before the polls.

Scrutiny of nominations for the Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram polls will take place today. The last date for withdrawal of nomination in both the states is Monday, with polls scheduled for 25th. In Madhya Pradesh, 2,886 nomination papers were filed on the last day of nominations on Friday. A total of 4,887 nominations have been filed in the state for 230 Assembly segments.

In Rajasthan, 243 candidates have, so far, filed their nominations for the 1st December Assembly polls. 152 candidates filed nomination papers on Friday. 12 November is the last date of filing of nomination. Ministers Mahendra Jeet Singh Malviya, Mangilal Garasia and Manju Meghwal of Congress and Rajendra Rathor, Radheshyam Ganganagar and Devisingh Bhati of BJP are the prominent names who filed nomination papers on Friday. AIR correspondent reports that both BJP and Congress are facing challenge from rebel candidates.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has notified the period between 11th of this month and 4th December, in which conducting any exit poll and publishing or publicising it in print or electronic media in the poll-bound and by poll-bound states is prohibited. Besides the upcoming elections in five states, by polls will also be held in Assemblies of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Notification for Tamil Nadu Assembly by-elections in Yercaud Constituency will be issued today. The by-election will be held on the 4th of next month.