Elections will be held in three phases. Counting will take place on December 1.
Being viewed as a referendum on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s seven-month rule and a prelude to 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, the State Election Commission on Friday announced schedule for the urban local bodies polls in three phases, beginning November 22.
With the announcement of schedule for the urban local bodies polls, notification has been issued to enforce Model Code of Conduct. This will put a break on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's spree to announce development and welfare projects worth several crores during his whirlwind tour of the state. The commission has also put a ban on transfers and postings till counting is over.
The second and third phases polling would be held on November 26 and 29 while counting of votes will take place on December 1 to announce winners on 16 Nagar Nigams, 198 Nagar Palika Parishad and 438 Nagar Panchayat seats.
“For the first time we are using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for polling in 16 Nagar Nigams whie ballot papers would be used in Nagar Palikas and Nagar Panchayats with photographs of each candidates for the convenience of voters,” said S.K. Agarwal, the State Election Commissioner. In the first phase on November 22, 24 districts would go polls while 25 districts would go to polls during second phase on November 26 and remaining 26 on November 29 during the third and final phase of polling.
The State Election Commission has also doubled the poll-related expenditure limits for Mayors in Nagar Nigams having 80 or more wards from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 25 lakhs. Corporators can now spend Rs 2 lakhs instead of Rs one lakh fixed earlier.
About 3.32 crore voters will use their franchise at 32,269 polling stations to elect their representatives in these urban local bodies. The polling will be held under tight security from 7.30 am to 5 pm. The BJP, SP, BSP and Congress have already announced to contest the urban local bodies polls on their party symbols. After having a pre-poll alliance in 2017 Assembly polls, the SP and Congress are contesting separately. The BSP too has decided to go alone. The opposition disunity may go in favour of the BJP.
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