5 states to vote in February-March; results on March 11

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) of India announced on Wednesday the schedule for Assembly elections in five states. Politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur will go to polls between February 4 and March 8.

The polls are considered significant as their outcomes are likely to reflect the people’s verdict on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonetisation move implemented late last year.

While Uttar Pradesh will see polling in seven phases, it will be a one-day affair in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa; and a two-day exercise in Manipur.

“Counting of votes will be taken up together in all states on March 11,” the EC said.

Making the announcement, chief election commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi said that the EC would keep a watch on the use of black money, which is expected to come down due to demonetisation.

Steps will be taken to ensure that other illegal inducements are not used to influence voters, he said.

In Uttar Pradesh, which has a 403-member House, polls will be held on February 11 (73 constituencies), February 15 (67), February 19 (69), February 23 (53), February 27 (52), March 3 (49) and March 8 (40 constituencies).

Unlike the last elections, Manipur, which recently witnessed violence raising questions whether elections would be possible now, will have polling on March 4 (38 constituencies) and March 8 (22 seats). Here, the Congress seeks to retain power.

Polling will be held in Punjab and Goa together on February 4, and in Uttarakhand it will be held on February 15.

“The model code of conduct will come into immediate effect, and will apply to political parties and state governments concerned, besides the central government in terms of announcements in these states,” Mr Zaidi said.

The electoral process will begin with notifications for polls in Punjab and Goa on January 11. The family feud and the split in the ruling Samajwadi Party have injected a new dimension in politics in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP hopes to capture power after 14 years on the back of a sweep in Lok Sabha elections in 2014. The BSP and the Congress, the other main challengers, hope to make it a quadrangular fight but for some alliances being made.

Punjab, which has a 117-member Assembly, promises to be a three-way contest between the ruling SAD-BJP combine, the Congress and the new entrant AAP.

After sensational political developments in Uttarakhand in 2016, where the Congress was temporarily dislodged from power due to defections, the party and the BJP are set for a virtual direct fight on 70 seats.

In Goa, where the BJP seeks to retain most of the 40 assembly seats to remain in power, the AAP is being seen as a new player which plans to topple the applecart of the Congress and the BJP.

Over 16 crore people will participate in these polls for 690 constituencies in five states, for which the EC has set up 1.85 lakh polling stations, up by 15 per cent from the number during the 2012 polls.

The CEC said candidates would have to open a bank account for all election expenditures, and expenses above R20,000 will be made through cheques from the new accounts.

He added that donations above Rs 20,000 would also be accepted through cheques.

The maximum limit for expenses for each candidate in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand is R28 lakh, while that in Goa and Manipur is Rs 20 lakh, he said. The CEC said as part of reforms, the candidates would have to submit a “no-demand certificate” from agencies providing amenities and government accommodation. The certificate will come from agencies dealing with electricity, water, telephone services, and also the rent certificate of government accommodation which these candidates may have occupied in the past 10 years.

Defence personnel posted away from their home constituencies can vote through one-way electronic transmission of ballot in. But the facility may not be available in all constituencies this time, and could be extended in select seats.

The EC had first experimented the initiative in a Puducherry bypoll recently.

Asked about suggestions that the EC “waited” for PM Modi’s Lucknow rally before announcing the poll schedule, Mr Zaidi said the poll panel “has its own mind.” “It does not make its schedule according to the request of political parties,” he said.

The EC will issue photo voter slips to voters ahead of polls and will, for the first time, also distribute a colourful booklet that will guide voters on dates and timings of polls and locations of polling stations, besides dos and don’ts for them.

To encourage more participation of women in election management process, the EC will also have some all-woman polling stations this time around, besides making all polling stations friendly for differently-abled persons.

The tenure of Punjab, Goa and Manipur Assemblies are ending on March 18, while that of Uttarakhand on March 26 and Uttar Pradesh on May 27. To ensure full secrecy of a voter and that facial expressions don’t indicate their choice of candidate, the poll panel had decided to increase the height of the shield that covers EVMs to 30 inches.