Assembly Election Date Announced; Election Commission Makes Bold Moves

By Anupreet Kaur Last updated Jan 28, 2017

Uttar Pradesh will have the polling on 403 seats on the following dates

New Delhi: The Election Commission have announced the dates of the elections in 5 states. The Election Commission have also announced some new rules for the candidates. CEC Nasim Zaidi has announced the dates at a press conference.

What are new rules:

According to the new regulations, Candidate will have to stick their photo in the nomination form. Candidate will have to declare that they are Indian citizens. Previously this was not mandatory
Candidates will also have to provide testimony or NOC that the don’t have any due
Candidates will be required to file a no demand certificate
Now after 10 pm Election Commission has banned the loudspeaker from propagating or campaigning
Candidates will have to open a new bank account, details of which have to be given to the EC
The EC has said that donations of more than 20 thousand will have to be taken in the form of a check
EVM will have to photos of the candidates
EVM will be used in all the states. The height of EVM booth has been increased to 30 inches to maintain voters secrecy

Dates & Phases of Election in the Each States

Elections will take place in this five states Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur. Polling will be held in a single phase in the following states- Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand, while Manipur will have 2 phases of polling and Uttar Pradesh will have 7 phases of polling. Counting of votes for all the states will be on March 11.

Uttar Pradesh will have the polling on 403 seats on the following dates:

Phase 1 – February 11
Phase 2 – February 15
Phase 3 – February 19
Phase 4 – February 23
Phase 5 – February 27
Phase 6 – March 4
Phase 7 – March 8

Manipur will have the election in two phase on the following dates:

Phase 1 – March 4
Phase 2 – March 8

Punjab & Goa will have the election in Single on 4th February. Uttarakhand will have the election in single on 15th February. With this EC said the model code of conduct comes into effect immediately.