AMN
The high-pitch electoral campaign is going on in Uttar Pradesh for the first two phases of the Seven-Phase Assembly Elections and the Star Campaigners and prominent leaders of various political parties engaged in public rallies after finalisation of the candidates for the First Phase.
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 Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur with the party leaders deliberating in marathon meetings to finalise their electoral strategies and formations even while giving shape to the lists of candidates.
Meanwhile, the picture of the electoral battle in the First Phase of Assembly Elections became clear with mostly multi-cornered contests on cards after the withdrawal of candidature.
There are 623 candidates in fray for 58 seats included in this phase. Maximum 15 candidates each are vying for Mathura and Muzaffar Nagar seats while minimum five candidates are in the fray for Iglas seat.
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.
During the UP Second Phase and the Single-Phase polling in the two states, the scrutiny of nominations was undertaken yesterday. The final electoral scenario will become clear tomorrow evening after the withdrawal of candidature. In Uttar Pradesh, 648 nominations were found valid during the scrutiny for this phase while 380 nominations were found valid in Goa and 727 nominations were found valid in Uttarakhand.
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, the nominations can be filed till 1st of February and the scrutiny will be undertaken on 2nd of February. In all, 226 nominations were filed in Uttar Pradesh while 619 nominations were filed in Punjab till the last evening. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 4th of February.
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 68 nominations were filed till the last evening. The nominations can be filed till 3rd of February and the scrutiny will be undertaken on 4th of February. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 7th 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 ban on physical rallies and roadshows till tomorrow. 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 decided that no roadshow, Padayatra, cycle or bike or vehicle rally and procession shall be allowed till the end of this month.
It had been decided to allow physical meetings of concerned political parties or contesting candidates for the First Phase of elections in designated open spaces with a maximum of 500 persons or 50 per cent of the capacity of the ground or the prescribed limit set by State Disaster Management Authorities, whichever is lesser, from 28th of January to 8th of February excluding the silence period.
The poll body said, physical meetings of concerned parties or contesting candidates for the Second Phase will be allowed with the similar restrictions from 1st to 12th of February excluding the silence period.
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 per cent 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 poll body said, 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 of these instructions.
Political parties have been advised to conduct their campaign through digital mode as much as possible.
A maximum of ten persons will be allowed for door-to-door election campaigns by candidates. 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.