Campaigning for the Assembly elections in the states of Punjab and Goa will culminate this evening, leaving the fate of the candidates at the hands of the people. The two states will go to polls on Saturday (February 4) to elect new assemblies.
The Election Commission has issued detailed guidelines to the District Election Officers in Punjab to ensure prohibition 48 hours before the end of assembly polls in the state.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh said that the prohibition will start at 5 PM today and will continue till 5 PM on Saturday. He said that all the political leaders, functionaries or party workers who are not the registered voters will have to vacate the constituency within this period.
“Necessary guidelines have been issued to the police and civil administration all across the state to ensure that outsiders who are not required leave immediately,” he said.
The poll body has also imposed a complete prohibition on broadcasting or propagating election-related material on TV, radio or newspapers. Any such material influencing the voters would not be permissible during the 48 hours before the poll.
Punjab
In Punjab, there are 117 Assembly constituencies (34 are reserved for Scheduled Castes). Total number of polling stations are 22,600. Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPID) is 98.57 per cent in the state.
The term of present Assembly expires on March 18, 2017
The major players in fray are the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The state is currently being ruled by SAD-BJP coalition. While the SAD has 54 MLAs, the BJP has 11 legislators.
The Congress has no representative as its all 42 MLAs have had resigned on November 11 last year over Supreme Court holding as unconstitutional the 2004 law to terminate the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring states.
According to pre-poll surveys, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has an edge over BJP and the ruling coalition. The opinion polls too, have revealed that AAP is enjoying an unprecedented novelty value in the state.
Goa
In Goa, there are 40 Assembly seats (one seat is reserved for SC). Total number of polling stations are 1,642. Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPID) is 99.55 per cent in the state.
The term of the present Assembly expires on March 18, 2017.
The major players in the state are BJP and Congress. The state is currently under the rule of a Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition.
The BJP had won the 2012 state Assembly election in alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). While the BJP has 21 MLAs, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has 3 MLAs in the outgoing Assembly.
The BJP aims to retain its stronghold in the state whereas the Congress, which lost power in 2012, looks to make a comeback. At present, the party has 9 MLAs. This year’s poll will also mark the debut of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state.
