In poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the electoral
campaign has gained momentum for the first two phases of the
Seven-Phase Assembly Elections and also for the Single-Phase polls in
Goa and Uttarakhand. The Star Campaigners and prominent leaders of
various political parties engaged in public rallies after finalization
of the candidates for the first two phases. The door-to-door canvassing
and virtual appeals to the voters also continue. The political
activities have already begun in other poll-bound states including
Punjab and Manipur with the party leaders deliberating in marathon
meetings to finalize their electoral strategies and formations even
while giving shape to the lists of candidates.
Meanwhile, the process of filing nominations for a Fourth of the Seven-
Phase of Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to close today
while it is going on for the UP Fifth Phase along with the First Phase
polling in Manipur. The filing of nominations for the Sixth Phase in UP
as well as the Second and Last Phase polling in Manipur will begin with
the issuance of notification tomorrow.
The Sixth Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 3rd of
March in 57 Assembly Constituencies from 10 districts including 11 ACs
reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Balrampur, Siddharth
Nagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Ballia, Maharajganj,
Kushinagar (Padrauna), Gorakhpur, and Deoria district. In addition, the
Second and Last Phase polling in Manipur will be held simultaneously.
Twenty-two seats in Manipur will go to polls in this phase.
During the UP Sixth Phase and the Second Phase polling in Manipur, the
nominations can be filed till 11th and the scrutiny will be undertaken
on 14th of February. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be
16th of February. Total 2,14,62,816 electors will be eligible to
exercise their franchise during the Sixth Phase. They include
1,14,63,113 male, 99,98,383 female and 1,320 third gender voters.
In the Second Phase of Assembly Elections in Manipur, 22 seats spread
over ten districts will go to polls out of which eleven seats are
reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. These districts include Thoubal,
Kakching, Jiribam, Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Ukhrul, Senapati,
Tamenglong, and Money district. There are total 8,32,416 electors
including 4,07,189 male, 4,25,192 female and 35 third gender voters.
Earlier, the picture of the electoral battle during the Second Phase of
polls and the Single-Phase polls in Goa and Uttarakhand also became
clear after the withdrawal of candidature. In Uttar Pradesh, 586
candidates are in the fray for 55 Assembly seats going to polls during
this phase while 301 candidates are contesting for 40 seats in Goa and
632 candidates are vying for 70 seats in Uttarakhand.
During the First of Seven-Phase Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh,
mostly multi-cornered contests are on cards and there are 623 candidates
in fray for 58 seats included in this phase.
In the initial phase, 58 Assembly Constituencies including nine reserved
for the Scheduled Castes will go to polls on 10th of February. These
constituencies are from eleven districts of Shamli (Prabuddh Nagar),
Meerut, Hapur (Panchsheel Nagar), Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Ghaziabad,
Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Mathura.
The Second Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 14th
of February in 55 Assembly Constituencies from nine districts including
nine ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Saharanpur,
Bijnor, Amroha (J.P. Nagar), Moradabad, Bareilly, Rampur, Sambhal (Bhim
Nagar), Budaun, and Shahjahanpur district. In addition, the Single-Phase
polling in two states Goa and Uttarakhand will be held simultaneously.
Forty seats in Goa and 70 seats in Uttarakhand will go to polls together
in this phase.
The Third Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 20th of
February in 59 Assembly Constituencies from 16 districts including 15
ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Hathras, Kanshiram
Nagar (Kasganj), Etah, Mainpuri, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, Kannauj,
Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba,
Jhansi, and Lalitpur district. In addition, the Single-Phase polling in
Punjab will be held simultaneously. All the 117 Assembly Constituencies
in the state will go to polls together in this phase.
During the UP Third Phase and the Single-Phase polling in Punjab, 658
nominations were found valid during the scrutiny of nominations in Uttar
Pradesh while the Punjab scrutiny results are still awaited. In all,
2,279 nominations were filed in Punjab. The candidature can be withdrawn
by tomorrow.
The Fourth Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 23rd
of February in 59 Assembly Constituencies from nine districts including
16 ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Pilibhit,
Lakhimpur - Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli,
Fatehpur, and Banda district.
During the UP Fourth Phase, the process of filing nominations for the
Fourth Phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh is presently going on
and 513 nominations were filed till the last evening. The nominations
can be filed till this afternoon and the scrutiny will be undertaken
tomorrow. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 7th of
February.
Meanwhile, The Fifth Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted
on 27th of February in 61 Assembly Constituencies from 12 districts
including nine ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include
Shravasti, Bahraich, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Amethi (Chatrapati Sahuji
Mahraj Nagar), Raebareilly, Sultanpur, Gonda, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi,
Prayagraj, and Chitrakoot district. In addition, the First of the
Two-Phase polling in Manipur will be held simultaneously. Thirty-eight
seats from six districts will go to polls out of which one seat is
reserved for the Scheduled Castes and eight seats are reserved for the
Scheduled Tribes. These districts include Imphal East and West,
Bishnupur, Pherzawl, Churchandpur, and Kangpokpi districts.
The process of filing nominations for the Fifth Phase of Assembly
Elections in Uttar Pradesh and First of the Two-Phase polling in Manipur
is also going on. In all, five nominations were filed in Uttar Pradesh
while only one nomination was filed in Manipur for this phase. The
nominations can be filed till 8th and the scrutiny will be undertaken on
9th of February. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be
11th of February.
In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and rising cases of Omicron
variant across the country, the Election Commission has laid focus on
COVID-safe elections with maximum participation. It is going to ensure
the safety of vote and voters as both are equally and critically
important in democracy.
The Election Commission has extended the ban on physical rallies and
roadshows till 11th of February. After taking a comprehensive review of
the prevailing situation with respect to status and projected trends of
COVID pandemic in the five poll-bound states, the commission has decided
to allow physical public meetings of Political parties or contesting
candidates in designated open spaces with a maximum of one thousand
persons or 50 percent of the capacity of the ground or the prescribed
limit set by State Disaster Management Authorities, whichever is lesser,
with effect from today for all phases.
The Commission has also enhanced the limit for door-to-door campaigns.
Instead of 10 persons, now 20 persons, excluding security personnel,
will be allowed for door-to-door campaigns. It has now granted
relaxation for the political parties to the extent that indoor meetings
of a maximum of 500 persons or 50 percent of the capacity of the hall or
the prescribed limit set by SDMA is allowed.
The Election Commission has also allowed video vans for publicity with
usual COVID restrictions at designated open spaces with a maximum of 500
viewers or 50 percent of the capacity or the limit set by SDMA,
whichever is lesser, in the poll-going states subject to public
convenience and no hindrance to smooth flow of traffic. The political
parties and contesting candidates will have to ensure the compliance of
COVID Appropriate Behaviour and guidelines and Model Code of Conduct at
all occasions during the activities connected with elections. All
concerned State and District Authorities will ensure full compliance
with these instructions.
Political parties have been advised to conduct their campaign through
digital mode as much as possible. If a candidate or political party
violates any of the above guidelines, no further permission will be
given to the concerned candidate or party for rallies or meetings.
Social media is bold.
Social media is young.
Social media raises questions.
Social media is not satisfied with an answer.
Social media looks at the big picture.
Social media is interested in every detail.
social media is curious.
Social media is free.
Social media is irreplaceable.
But never irrelevant.
Social media is you.
(With input from news agency language)
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