Election Commission of India (ECI)announces dates for 2017 assembly polls in UP, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur Wednesday Jan 04,2017

7-phase polls in UP, 2-phase in Manipur, single phase in Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand; counting on March 11,2017

Election Commission on Wednesday Jan 04,2017 announced poll dates for Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi addressed the media and gave out complete details for the election process. 

Announcements made by the Election Commission on assembly election dates and phases

• Assemblies expiring on: Goa 18 March, Manipur 18 March, Punjab 18 March, Uttarakhand 26 March, and Uttar Pradesh 27 March.
• Number of constituencies: 619/690 - 133 reserved for Scheduled Castes, 23 for Scheduled Tribes.
• Millions of errors, multiple entries have been removed from the electoral rolls.
• Revised electoral rolls published on: Goa - January 5, Manipur - January 12, Punjab - January 5, Uttarakhand - January 10, and Uttar Pradesh - January 12.
• The Election Commission will distribute photo voters slip to all voters. These have been improved.
• Colourful voter guide will be distributed to all families. This will have details of polling stations, date and time of polling, ID docs that can be used, etc.
• 1.85 Lakh polling stations will be covered. This has increased by 15 per cent.
• There are over 16 crore voters in the 5 states.
• For secrecy, height of the voting compartment has been raised to 30 inches.
• Electronic Voter Machines or EVMs will be used in all states.
• As you know there is a symbol provided at bottom of EVM for 'None Of The Above' or NOTA.
• In certain constituencies there will be Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail or VVPAT.
• The number of constituencies with VVPAT will be increased.
• Election Commission is joining the rank of global leaders in the area of electronic transmission of votes. This is a historic (first) step.
• Electronic transmission of votes done keeping in mind defence personnel.
• Postal votes will be transmitted one-way in certain constituencies.
• Candidates will be required to file a no demand certificate.
• The rules have also been changed. Candidates will have to fix a photograph on nomination paper. They will have to declare that they are citizens of India, not sought foreign citizenship.
• The model code of conduct comes into immediate effect.
• The Election Commission is determined to ensure strict compliance.
• In the last 72 hours there are reports of malpractices, so new SOP has been introduced.
• The Election Commission is discouraging parties from using any environmentally hazardous materials for publicity. We also discourage the use of loudspeakers.
• We will conduct elections in free and fair manner.

Model Code of Conduct comes into effect in 5 states immediately

The limit of electoral expenses for individual candidates is Rs 28 Lakh for UP, Punjab and Uttarakhand; Rs 20 Lakh for Manipur and Goa

EVMs will be used in all states

Ballot paper on EVMs will have photo of candidates

Poll Dates

Goa: February 04,2017

Goa (Total seats: 40)
Phase	Date of Polling	Constituencies
Phase I	4 February	40

GOA

• Notification - January 11, 2017
• Number of Constituencies - 40
• Last date of nominations - January 18, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - January 19, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - January 21, 2017.
• Elections will be held on February 04, 2017 - In single phase.

Punjab: February 04,2017

Punjab (Total seats: 117)
Phase	Date of Polling	Constituencies
Single Phase	4 February 2017	117

 

PUNJAB

• Notification - January 11, 2017
• Number of Constituencies - 117
• Last date of nominations - January 18, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - January 19, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - January 21, 2017.
• Elections will be held on February 04, 2017 - In single phase.

Uttarakhand: February 15,2017

Uttarakhand (Total seats: 70)
Phase	Date of Polling	Constituencies
Phase I	15 February 2017	70

 

UTTARAKHAND

• Notification - January 20, 2017
• Last date of nominations - January 27, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - January 28, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - January 30, 2017.
• Elections will be held on February 15, 2017 - In single phase.

Manipur: March 4 (first phase), March 8 (second phase)

Manipur (Total seats: 60)
Phase	Date of Polling	Constituencies
Phase I	4 March 2017	38
Phase II	8 March 2017	22

 

MANIPUR

• Notification - February 08, 2017 (1st Phase), February 11, 2017 (2nd Phase)
• Last date of nominations - February 15, 2017 (1st Phase), February 18, 2017 (2nd Phase)
• Scrutiny of nominations - February 16, 2017 (1st Phase), February 28, 2017 (2nd Phase)
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - February 18, 2017 (1st Phase), March 02, 2017 (2nd Phase)
• Elections will be held on - March 04, 2017 (1st Phase), March 08, 2017 (2nd Phase)

Uttar Pradesh: February 11 (first phase), February 15 (second phase), February 19 (third phase), February 23 (fourth phase), February 27 (fifth phase), March 4 (sixth phase), March 8 (seventh phase)

 

Uttar Pradesh (Total Seats: 403)
Phase	Date of Polling	Constituencies
Phase I	11 February 2017	73 (15 districts)
Phase II	15 February 2017	67 (11 districts)
Phase III	19 February 2017	69 (12 districts)
Phase IV	23 February 2017	53 (12 districts)
Phase V	27 February 2017	52 (11 districts)
Phase VI	4 March 2017	49 (7 districts)
Phase VII	8 March 2017	40 (7 districts)

 

UTTAR PRADESH

• Uttar Pradesh has 403 constituencies and elections will take place in 7 phases

PHASE 1: 73 Constituencies

• Notification - January 17, 2017
• Last date of nominations - January 24, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - January 25, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - January 27, 2017
• Elections will be held on February 11, 2017

PHASE 2: 67 Constituencies - 11 Districts

• Notification - January 20, 2017
• Last date of nominations - January 27, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - January 28, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - January 30, 2017
• Elections will be held on February 15, 2017

PHASE 3: 69 Constituencies - 12 Districts

• Notification - January 24, 2017
• Last date of nominations - January 31, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - February 02, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - February 04, 2017
• Elections will be held on February 19, 2017

PHASE 4: 53 Constituencies - 12 Districts

• Notification - January 30, 2017
• Last date of nominations - February 06, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - February 07, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - February 09, 2017
• Elections will be held on February 23, 2017

PHASE 5: 52 Constituencies - 11 Districts

• Notification - February 02, 2017
• Last date of nominations - February 09, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - February 11, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - February 13, 2017
• Elections will be held on February 27, 2017

PHASE 6: 49 Constituencies - 7 Districts

• Notification - February 08, 2017
• Last date of nominations - February 15, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - February 16, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - February 18, 2017
• Elections will be held on March 04, 2017

PHASE 7: 40 Constituencies - 7 Districts

• Notification - February 11, 2017
• Last date of nominations - February 18, 2017
• Scrutiny of nominations - February 20, 2017
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations - February 22, 2017
• Elections will be held on March 08, 2017

Goa has 40 assembly seats, Manipur has 60, Punjab has 117, Uttarakhand has 70 while Uttar Pradesh has 403.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly term ends on May 27,2017.

 Assemblies in Punjab, Goa and Manipur are completing their term on March 18,2017  while the Uttarakhand Assembly’s term is up to March 26.,2017

Uttar Pradesh

In 2012, elections to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly were held in 7 phases from February 8 to March 3, and the poll schedule was announced on December 24, 2011.

In Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party (SP) will fight with Mayawati’s BSP, Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to retain power.

 

FROM 2012 POLLS

• 189 MLAs with criminal cases
• 35 women elected
• 26 was the age of the youngest MLA
  Arun Kumar (SP), Sultanpur Sadar
• 76 was the age of the oldest MLA
  Alambadi (SP), Nizamabad
• 88,255 votes – the highest victory margin; Raghuraj Pratap Singh (Ind.), Kunda)
• 147 votes – the lowest victory margin
  Vijay Singh (Ind.), Farrukhabad

Punjab

Punjab is expected to witness a three-corner fight among ruling Akali Dal and BJP alliance, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Goa

In Goa, while BJP is eyeing to retain power, the ruling party is locked in a triangular contest with Congress and AAP.

Uttarakhand

The hilly state, which witnessed political instability for weeks, is being currently ruled by Congress. State's Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who is under scanner over sting CD case, is confident of retaining power in the state, however, infighting in Congress party and the main opposition BJP could make things worse for him.

Manipur 

Owing to poor law and order situation due to the on-going road blockade by some Naga groups, the poll body may conduct assembly polls in Manipur in two phases. One of the highlights of polls in this northeastern state will be Irom Sharmila, who fasted for 16 years to demand the repeal of AFSPA. Sharmila will take on Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh in assembly polls.

Electoral roll of Goa will be published on Jan 5, Manipur on Jan 12, Punjab Jan 5, Uttarakhand on Jan 10 and UP on Jan 12

The Code of Conduct for elections will come into force after the formal announcement of the poll dates by the ECI.

The Election Commission normally gives 21 days to the political parties for campaigning after the elections are announced.

The candidates will get two weeks for filing the nominations.