Election dates out for five states
Elections are a festival of democracy and (with) the people’s blessings on the basis of double engine government’s achievements, the BJP will be voted back to power with an overwhelming majority
YOGI ADITYANATH, chief minister
The Election Commission of India on Saturday announced the election schedule for five sates — Goa, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Punjab —that are slated to vote for a new legislative assembly, with the final count happening on March 10. The election body also announced new Covid-19 guidelines, including banning all political rallies till January 15, in the wake of the rising Covid-19 cases across the country.
With the announcement of poll dates, the model code of conduct has come into force. “There are 619 constituencies that will go to polls,” said chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra in a press conference. “The decision has been taken after much deliberation, with all stakeholders.”
The Commission also issued a strict advisory stating that political parties must focus on virtual rallies. It has also banned roadshows and physical rallies until January 15 in keeping with strict Covid-19 protocols. The election will be held in seven phases across the states starting from February 10.
In Uttar Pradesh, where there are 403 assembly seats, the election will be held in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7, while Punjab with 117 seats , Uttarakhand with 70 seats and Goa with 40 seats will go for polls in a single phase on February 14.
According to the ECI, six districts of Manipur, which has a total of 60 assembly seats, will go to the polls on February 27, while voting in the other 10 districts will be held on March 3.
“All electoral offenses will be brought to the fore,” Chandra said. “These are not just Covid related offenses.” He added that there is no need to panic, but only be cautious. “Ultimately it is the voter that has to be safe.”
The CEC added that all the violations will be dealt with by the chief secretary or the chief of the state disaster management authority.
“We can’t say Corona is only because of the elections,” Chandra said. “We have ensured that most people are vaccinated. The situation is dynamic, we are monitoring it.” The election body has already issued certain Covid-19 directions to all states, including writing to the chief secretaries to expedite vaccination; increasing the number of polling stations; and reducing the number of people who will vote in each booth.
Besides, all election officials and employees will be considered under the ambit of frontline workers and all eligible officers will be vaccinated against Covid-19 with ‘precautionary dose’, Chandra said.
“All election officials and employees will be considered as frontline workers and all eligible officers will be vaccinated with ‘precautionary dose’,” he said.
“As Covid cases soared in view of Omicron variant, ECI held meetings with Union Health Secretary and Home Secretary, experts, and health secretaries of States. After taking these views and ground situation, ECI decided to announce polls with safety norms in place,” CEC Sushil Chandra said.
In view of the rising Covid-19 cases, Chandra said, “Senior citizens above 80 years of age, persons with disabilities and Covid-19
patients can vote by postal ballots.”
Earlier this year, EC courted controversy throughout the eight-phase Bengal election, beginning with the prolonged duration of polls, to not conceding to the opposition’s demands to club the last three phases in view of the alarming rise in Covid-19 cases. An FIR was also filed against the EC for culpable homicide by the wife of a TMC candidate who died of Covid-19.
Polls were held as scheduled in Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry. The Commission came under the scanner of various High Courts, with the Madras HC saying that poll officials should “probably be booked for murder” . It also asked the EC to file a detailed blueprint of measures to ensure Covid safe counting, which the EC submitted.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday welcomed the announcement of poll dates in the state and said the BJP will return to power with an “overwhelming majority”.
“We welcome the festival of democracy…With the blessings of the people and on the basis of the double engine government’s achievements, the BJP will form its government with an overwhelming majority,” the Uttar Pradesh CM tweeted in Hindi.