AMN / WEB DESK
Electoral campaign is in full swing for the Third of the Seven-Phase Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh and for the Single-Phase polls in Punjab. The Star Campaigners and prominent leaders of various political parties engaged in public rallies after finalisation of the candidates for the five phases in Uttar Pradesh.
The door to door canvassing and virtual appeals to the voters also continue. The poll campaign is now picking up in Manipur with the party leaders trying to reach out and woo the voters in different parts of the state.
Earlier, polling was conducted yesterday for the UP Second Phase of Assembly Elections along with the Single-Phase polling in Goa and Uttarakhand.
As compared to over 60 per cent voter turnout during the First Phase, in which polling was held in 58 Assembly Constituencies spread over 11 districts, over 61 per cent voter turnout was registered during the Second Phase in Uttar Pradesh.
While the voter turnout in Goa was 79 per cent, it was 65 per cent in case of Uttarakhand. During the Second Phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh, the political fate of 586 candidates, who were in fray for 55 Assembly seats, along with 301 candidates contesting for 40 seats in Goa and 632 candidates vying for 70 seats in Uttarakhand was sealed into the Electronic Voting Machines.
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.
These disticts 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.
The electoral contests in the Third Phase of Assembly Elections in the state are mostly multi-cornered fixtures. There are 627 candidates in fray for 59 seats included in this phase. Maximum 15 candidates each are vying for three seats including Etah, Mehroni and Mahoba while minimum three candidates are in the fray for Karhal seat.
During the Single-Phase polling in Punjab, total 1,304 candidates are in fray for 117 seats after the withdrawal of candidature. Maximum 19 candidates each are vying for Sahnewal and Patiala seats while minimum five candidates are in the fray for Dinnagar seat.
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. These districts include Pilibhit, Lakhimpur – Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Fatehpur and Banda district.
The picture of the electoral battle in the Fourth Phase of Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh also shows mostly multi-cornered contests on cards. There are total 624 candidates in fray for 59 Assembly seats. Maximum 15 candidates are vying for Sawayazpur while minimum six candidates each are contesting for two seats including Palia and Sevata seat.
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.
The electoral battle scenario in the Fifth Phase of Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh shows that there are total 692 candidates in fray for 61 Assembly seats. Maximum 25 candidates are vying for Pratappur seat while minimum seven candidates each are contesting for seven seats including Milkipur, Payagpur, Barabanki, Zaidpur, Haidergarh, Sadar and Kadipur seat.
During the First Phase of Assembly Elections in Manipur, thirty eight seats from six districts will go to polls on 28th of February 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 district.
In Manipur, there are 173 candidates including 15 women are contesting for 38 seats in the First Phase. Maximum eight candidates are vying for three seats including Sekmai, Saikot and Saikul while there is direct fight between the BJP and Congress candidates in three constituencies including Heingang, Nambol and Thanga.
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 the Second Phase of Assembly Elections in Manipur, 22 seats spread over ten districts will go to polls on 5th of March out of which eleven seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. These districts include Thoubal, Kakching, Jiribam, Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Noney district.
The scrutiny of nominations for the Sixth Phase of Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh as well as the Second and Last Phase polling in Manipur was carried out yesterday. In all, 706 nominations were found valid during the scrutiny in Uttar Pradesh while the final result of scrutiny of nominations in Manipur is awaited. The candidature can be withdrawn till tomorrow.
The process of filing nominations for the Seventh and Last Phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh is presently underway. In all, 159 nominations were filed till the last evening. The nominations can be filed till Thursday and the scrutiny will be undertaken on Friday. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 21st of February.
The Seventh Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 7th of next month in 54 Assembly Constituencies from nine districts including 11 ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes and two for the Scheduled Tribes. They include Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra and Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar) district.
In view of the decline in COVID-19 cases, the Election Commission has relaxed the provisions of campaigning in the poll-bound states. As per the revised directives, the ban on campaign timings in these states will now be between 10 P.M. and 6 A.M. instead of earlier timing of from 8 P.M. to 8 A.M. Political parties and candidates may campaign from 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. following the COVID Appropriate Behaviour and protocols of State Disaster Management Authority.
The Election Commission further added that the political parties and candidates are now permitted to hold their meetings and rallies up to maximum of 50 per cent of the capacity of the designated open spaces or the limit prescribed by SDMA. It said, Pad-Yatra consisting not more than permitted number of persons and only with prior permission of district authorities will also be allowed.
The Election Commission took note of substantial reduction in COVID cases in the country as well as in the poll-bound states. Based on the facts and circumstances, need of the political parties and candidates for greater participation in elections, the Commission further relaxed the provisions of campaigning with immediate effect. The Commission said that all other existing provisions related to electioneering shall continue to operate.