LUCKNOW: The much-awaited three-tier panchayat elections in the state would be held in four phases starting April 15. The State Election Commission (SEC) on Friday announced the notification for the polls, touted as a semi-final electoral battle before the high-stake assembly elections next year. With this, the model code of conduct came into effect in the state.
The announcement came on the day when the Supreme Court was to hear a petition challenging the Allahabad high court’s order dated March 15 that directed UP government to take 2015 as the base year instead of 1995 for reserving seats for the three-tier rural local bodies elections.
In a hurriedly called press conference, state election commissioner Manoj Kumar announced that panchayat elections would be conducted in four phases - April 15, April 19, April 26 and April 29. Counting of votes and declaration of result will take place on May 2. The voting would be held through paper ballots.
Unlike in the past when elections were conducted block-wise, the panchayat elections, this time, would be held district-wise. In the first phase, 18 districts, including Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Kanpur, Bareilly and Ghaziabad would go to polls. The second phase would see elections being held on 20 districts including Lucknow, Varanasi, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Azamgarh and Muzzaffarnagar.
Likewise, in the third phase, 20 districts including Kanpur Dehat, Unnao, Jalaun and Amethi, would go to polls. The fourth phase will see electoral contest in 17 districts, including Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, Bahraich and Sonbhadra.
The elections would, however, not be held in three gram panchayats of Sitapur (Kainhara Raghuwardayal, Batpurwa and Raipaidihiya), one of Bahraich (Kapoorpur) and nine of Gonda (Bahadura, Khanpur, Sarawan, Jalalpur, Ballipur, Mohanpur), Sahibapur, Parsiya and Rampur Kharhata). SEC Officials said that the said rural local bodies in three districts have not completed their tenure.
The nomination process for the first phase would start on April 3, for second phase on April 7, for third phase on April 13 and for fourth phase on April 17. The candidates would be given election symbols between April 7 and April 21.
Kumar said that the district magistrates/district election officer (panchayat) will issue the notice on Friday itself, before getting them published in the state gazette and informing the state election commission. The nomination papers will be available from Saturday after due notice by the district electoral officer.
The district authorities have also been asked to ensure adequate awareness, including using 'munadi’ (spreading information with the help of drummers) about the panchayat elections. He said that the elections would be conducted as per the procedures laid down under Panchayati Raj (elections of members and Pradhans)- 1994. The counting of votes for various rural local bodies will be held at the development block level.
Scheduled to be held under the shadow of pandemic, the panchayat elections will be conducted as per the due Corona protocols recently issued by the state poll panel. Under this, more than five persons will not be allowed to accompany during the door-to-door campaign. The candidates will have to take due permission from the commission to hold a public rally. Officials said that the poll scheduled has been drafted in a way to lessen the impact on UP board examinations which are also scheduled to be held in April and May.
Various political parties have already thrown their weight behind the candidates contesting the panchayat elections which are though not held on party symbols. The BJP has already gone into an overdrive while carrying out booth level campaigns to make deeper rural inroads before the big fight in 2022. The SP and the BSP too seek to consolidate their position in the rural areas which determine the electoral fortunes of parties in the politically crucial state.