LUCKNOW: The stage of Uttar Pradesh Urban Local Body (ULB) polls is all set as the State Election Commission (SEC) announced the notification for the same on Friday. In all, 652 local bodies, comprising of 16 municipal corporations, 198 municipal boards and 438 municipal panchayats will go to polls in three phases to be held on November 22, 26 and 29, 2017. The results will be declared on December 1, 2017.
These local body elections are being considered as the first litmus test of eight-month-old BJP government led by CM Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh.
For the first time in the history that state's civic polls will be organised in a phased manner. "As per the schedule, 24 districts will go to polls on November 22, 25 districts on November 26, and 26 districts on November 29," said SEC SK Agarwal.
While the counting of votes polled for 1300 wards of 16 municipal corporations, 5261 of 198 municipal boards and 5434 wards of 438 municipal panchayats will take place on December 1, 2017.
Meanwhile, the model code of conduct has come into effect in the state immediately after the notification of polls and it will remain in force till counting of votes and declaration of results on December 1, 2017.
According to SEC, total 3.32 crore voters will be eligible to cast their ballots at 36,269 polling booths and 11,389 polling stations.
While EVMS will be used for polling in municipal corporations, rest of the election will be held through ballot paper.
Giving out phase-wise break up of voting, Agarwal said the first phase would cover 24 districts in which 230 local bodies, spread over 4,095 wards, will get to polls. For this phase, there will be 3,731 polling centres and 11,683 polling booths with total over 1.09 crore voters.
Similarly, the second phase will cover 25 districts having 189 local bodies covering 3,601 wards. The polls will be held at 13,776 polling booths to be set up for 1.29 crore voters.
Meanwhile, 26 districts will go to polls in the third and final phase in which there are 233 local bodies spread over 4,299 wards comprising 94 lakh voters across 10,810 polling booths.
While polling will commence at 7:30 am and continue till 5:30 pm. Bharwari municipal board in Kaushambi district won't go to polls as the state government could not complete the formalities related to reservation status of the board.
According to BJP sources, the chief minister will be addressing public meetings in all 16 municipal corporations, while campaigning in 199 municipal boards and 439 nagar panchayats will be undertaken by other senior cabinet ministers and BJP leaders
