ECI’s 3-day visit from Dec 28 to mark start of countdown to UP polls

LUCKNOW : The full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) will begin its threeday visit to Uttar Pradesh on December 28, marking the start of the countdown to the announcement of the 2022 assembly election schedule.

Chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra, election commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey, along with other senior officers of ECI, will review the preparations for the assembly elections in meetings with state government officers on December 28, 29 and 30.

Chief electoral officer (Uttar Pradesh) Ajay Kumar Shukla said during the three-day visit, the Election Commission will review the preparations for the assembly election in a meeting with divisional commissioners, IGPs (Zone), DIGs (Range), district magistrates, superintendents of police of all the 75 districts in the state and returning officers of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The ECI will also hold a meeting with the chief secretary, the director general of police and other top state government officers as well.

Along with officials of the enforcement agencies, the commission will meet representatives of the various political parties.

The commission will also review its instructions to the poll bound state for the revision of electoral rolls, organisation of voter’s awareness campaign, posting of officers, drive against illegal arms and other poll related matters.

The commission is likely to announce the assembly poll schedule around mid-January.

During its visit, the commission will also asses the requirement of central para-military forces in the state for conducting free and fair polls in meetings with the state home department and state police officers.

Like the 2017 assembly election, the 2022 assembly election in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases, those in the know of things said.