Polling in Punjab will be held in a single phase on February 15 while counting of votes has been slated for March 11.
Punjab has 117 assembly seats (Reserved for SCs – 34)
Number of polling stations: 22,600
The term of present Assembly expires on March 18, 2017
Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPID) is 98.57 per cent in the state.
With the announcement of polling dates, the Model Code of Conduct comes into force with immediate effect.
The maximum limit for expenses for each candidates in the state has been set at Rs 28 lakh.
Important dates:
Notification on Jan 11
Last date of filing nomination Jan 18
Scrutiny on Jan 19
Withdrawal of candidature on Jan 21
Polling on Feb 4
The major players in fray are the Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party.
The state is currently being ruled by Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party 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.
