Assembly Election 2022 Dates UPDATES: 7-phase polling in UP from Feb 10; single phase in Goa, Punjab, U'Khand

Voting in all 5 states to be completed in 7 phases: Election Commission

Uttar Pradesh: 
First Phase: Feb 10
Second Phase: Feb 14
Third Phase: Feb 20
Fourth Phase:  Feb 23
Fifth Phase: Feb 27
Sixth Phase: March 3
Seventh Phase: March 7

Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab
Single-phase voting on February 14  

Manipur 
First Phase: Feb 27 
Second Phase: March 3

Counting : March 10

CEC Sushil Chandra reads a couplet while announcing the measures to be taken by ECI for the conduct of safe elections, "Yakeen ho to koi raasta nikalta hai, hawa ki oat bhi lekar chirag jalta hai."

No road show, cycle bike rally will be allowed till January 15. No political physical rally, no public meeting between 8pm to 8am, no victory procession, no nukkad sabha at round abouts

Pollitical parties and candidates are advised to conduct their campaign by digital/virtual mode: Chandra

EVMs and VVPATs will be utilized in all the polling stations. Election Commission has already made arrangments to ensure an adequate number of EVMs and VVPATs for the smooth conduct of elections. It is mandatory for political parties to upload on their website detailed information regarding individuals with pending criminal cases selected as poll candidates. They will also have to give a reason to select the candidate. Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into effect immediately from announcement of the schedules. Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for ensuring the effective implementation of the MCC guidelines. Any violation of these guidelines will be strictly dealt with. Our cVIGIL application should be used by voters to report any incident of violation of the Model Code of Conduct, distribution of money & freebies. Within 100 minutes of complaint, ECI officials will reach the place of offence: CEC Sushil Chandra

All central and state officials on election duty will be doubly vaccinated. Precautionary dose will also be given

2,15,368 polling stations to be set up. All polling stations to be on the ground floor. All polling stations to be equipped with Covid mitigating facilities like masks,gloves, sanitizers etc. Videography to be done at all sensitive booths identified by the EC.

Candidates contesting polls will be given an option for online nomination

At least one polling booth in each assembly constituency will be exclusively managed by women personnel to encourage women voters: EC

Poll body has zero tolerance towards money power: CEC 

24.9 lakh first-time electors are registered in the 5 states including Uttar Pradesh: CEC Sushil Chandra

A total of 18.34 crore electors including service voters will take part in this election out of which 8.55 crore are women electors: Chandra

As COVID cases soared in view of Omicron variant, ECI held meetings with Union Health Secretary & Home Secretary, experts, & health secretaries of States. After taking these views & ground situation, ECI decided to announce polls with safety norms in place. All polling stations will be equipped with Covid-mitigation facilities including sanitisers and masks; Number of booths increased: CEC Sushil Chandra

Elections to be held for 403 assembly seats in UP, 117 in Punjab, 70 in Uttarakhand 60 in Manipur and 40 in Goa: Chandra

Polling stations have been increased to 2,16,368. "All polling stations will follow Covid protocol," says Chandra  

690 assembly constituencies to go for polls. "For the past two years, Covid has made conducting elections challenging," he said.

Our duty is to protect both vote and voter, says CEC Sushil Chandra

In view of the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, a total of 150 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel are being provided to the state by the Centre in the first phase, officials said. These include 50 companies of the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF), 30 companies each of the Border Security Force (BSF), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and 20 companies each of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border (ITBP). One company of CAPF generally has around a hundred personnel. A senior Uttar Pradesh police officer said the 150 companies are being provided by the Centre in the first phase from January 10 with the objective of conducting elections in a fair and efficient manner as also to reduce the sensitivity and vulnerability around polls.

The Aam Aadmi Party had on Friday released the first list of candidates for the upcoming Uttarakhand polls scheduled for 2022. AAP Uttarakhand in charge Dinesh Mohaniya shared the list on Twitter. The development comes ahead of Delhi Environment Minister and senior AAP leader Gopal Rai's five-day visit to Uttarakhand from Saturday, during which he will address a series of public meetings and pitch for a “novel change” in the state ahead of the assembly polls in the coming months. ALSO READ

All major political parties in Uttar Pradesh have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) not to delay the 2022 assembly polls in the state, following concerns of over the new Omicron Covid-19 variant. Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra, Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey and other senior officers of the ECI held meetings with representatives of national and recognised political parties in Lucknow till late Tuesday evening. ALSO READ

The government on Friday termed as misleading media reports stating that the Union Health Health Ministry has suggested to the Election Commission that there is no cause of "alarm or concern in view of very few cases of Omicron in poll-bound states". "These reports have a very high tendency to start a mis-information campaign in the midst of a pandemic," the Union Health Ministry said in a statement. "Some media reports are suggesting that Union Ministry of Health has in a meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) yesterday suggested that the 'Covid situation in the country is nothing to be worried about' and 'there is no cause of alarm or concern in the view of very few cases of Omicron in the poll bound states'. Such reports are highly ill-informed, misleading and far from the truth," the ministry said.

In an exclusive interview with India TV Digital, SY Quraishi, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India had said that polls should not be postponed.

IPS Viresh Kumar Bhawra has been appointed as the new DGP of Punjab on the consideration of the panel received from UPSC.

CEC Sushil Chandra along with ECs Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey, to address a Press Conference today at 3:30 pm to announce Schedule for General Elections to Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and UP.

Ahead of the announcement of election dates today, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to provide Rs 3,000 to all the construction workers in the state. 

Besides the poll schedule, Covid-19 protocols will also be announced amid the rising number of cases across the nation.

ECI to announce the schedule for Assembly elections today 

Election Commission of India to announce schedule for Assembly elections to Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh at 3.30 pm today.