In Uttar Pradesh, the high-pitch electoral campaign is going on for the first two phases of the Seven-Phase Assembly Elections and the Star Campaigners and prominent leaders of various political parties are engaged in public rallies after finalisation of the candidates for the First Phase. The door to door canvassing and virtual appeals to the voters also continue.<br />''<br />''Political activities have already begun in other poll-bound states including Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur with the party leaders deliberating in marathon meetings to finalise their electoral strategies and formations even while giving shape to the lists of candidates.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, the picture of the electoral battle in the First Phase of Assembly Elections became clear with mostly multi-cornered contests on cards after withdrawal of candidature on Thursday. There are 623 candidates in fray for 58 seats included in this phase. Maximum 15 candidates each are vying for Mathura and Muzaffar Nagar seats while minimum five candidates are in the fray for Iglas seat.<br />''<br />''In the initial phase, 58 Assembly constituencies, including nine reserved for the Scheduled Castes will go to polls on 10th of February. These constituencies are from eleven districts of Shamli (Prabuddh Nagar), Meerut, Hapur (Panchsheel Nagar), Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Mathura.<br />''<br />''The Second Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 14th of February in 55 Assembly Constituencies from nine districts including nine constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They are Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha (J.P. Nagar), Moradabad, Bareilly, Rampur, Sambhal (Bhim Nagar), Budaun and Shahjahanpur district.<br />''In addition, the Single-Phase polling in Goa and Uttarakhand will be held simultaneously. Forty seats in Goa and 70 seats in Uttarakhand will go to polls together in the 2nd phase.<br />''During the UP Second Phase and the Single-Phase polling in the two states, the scrutiny of nominations will be undertaken today. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 31st of January. In Uttar Pradesh, 794 nominations were filed in this phase while 587 nominations were filed in Goa and 750 nominations were filed in Uttarakhand till the close of nominations last evening.<br />''<br />''Goa has a total of 11,56,762 electors including 11,56,464 general and 298 service voters. The total number also includes 9,643 Persons with Disabilities. It also includes 5,62,500 male, 5,93,960 female and four third gender voters. The total strength of the house is 40 out of which one seat is reserved for the Scheduled Castes.<br />''<br />''Uttarakhand has total 82,38,187 electors including 81,43,922 general and 94,265 service voters along with 68,478 PwD voters. The total strength of the house is 70 out of which 13 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and two seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.<br />''<br />''The Third Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 20th of February in 59 Assembly Constituencies from 16 districts including 15 ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Hathras, Kanshiram Nagar (Kasganj), Etah, Mainpuri, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur districts. In addition, the Single-Phase polling in Punjab will be held simultaneously. All the 117 Assembly Constituencies in the state will go to polls together in this phase.<br />''<br />''During the UP Third Phase and the Single-Phase polling in Punjab, the nominations can be filed till 1st of February and the scrutiny will be undertaken on 2nd of February. In all, 98 nominations were filed in Uttar Pradesh while 302 nominations were filed in Punjab till the last evening.  The last date for withdrawal of candidature is 4th of February. Total 2,15,75,430 electors will be eligible to exercise their franchise during the Third Phase in Uttar Pradesh. They include 1,16,12,010 male, 99,62,324 female and 1,096 third gender voters.<br />''<br />''Punjab has total 2,13,88,764 electors including 2,12,75,066 general and 1,13,698 service voters. The number of PwD voters is 1,44,667. It also includes 1,11,87,857 male, 1,00,86,514 female and 695 third gender voters. The total strength of the house is 117 out of which 34 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes.<br />''<br />''The process of filing nominations for the Fourth Phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh is presently going on and 35 nominations were filed till the last evening.<br />''<br />''The Fourth Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 23rd of February in 59 Assembly Constituencies from nine districts including 16 ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Pilibhit, Lakhimpur – Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Fatehpur and Banda district.<br />''<br />''During the UP Fourth Phase, the nominations can be filed till 3rd of February and the scrutiny will be undertaken on 4th of February. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 7th of February. The counting of votes will be taken up together on 10th of March. Total 2,12,90,564 electors will be eligible to exercise their franchise during the Second Phase. They include 1,14,03,306 male, 98,86,286 female and 972 third gender voters.<br />''<br />''In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and rising cases of Omicron variant across the country, the Election Commission has laid focus on COVID-safe elections with maximum participation. It is going to ensure the safety of vote and voters as both are equally and critically important in the democracy.<br />''The Election Commission has extended ban on physical rallies and road shows till 31st of this month. After taking a comprehensive review of the prevailing situation with respect to status and projected trends of COVID pandemic in the five poll-bound states, the commission decided that no road show, Padayatra, cycle or bike or vehicle rally and procession shall be allowed till the end of this month. It had been decided to allow physical meetings of concerned political parties or contesting candidates for the First Phase of elections in designated open spaces with a maximum of 500 persons or 50 per cent of the capacity of the ground or the prescribed limit set by State Disaster Management Authorities, whichever is lesser, from 28th of January to 8th of February excluding the silence period. The poll body said, physical meetings of concerned parties or contesting candidates for the Second Phase will be allowed with the similar restrictions from 1st to 12th of February excluding the silence period.<br />''<br />''The Election Commission has also allowed video vans for publicity with usual COVID restrictions at designated open spaces with a maximum of 500 viewers or 50 per cent of the capacity or the limit set by SDMA, whichever is lesser, in the poll-going states subject to public convenience and no hindrance to smooth flow of traffic. The poll body said, political parties and contesting candidates will ensure the compliance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour and guidelines and Model Code of Conduct at all occasions during the activities connected with elections. All remaining restrictions contained in the Revised Broad Guidelines for Conduct of Elections, 2022 issued on 8th of January will continue to operate. All concerned State and District Authorities will ensure full compliance of these instructions.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Political parties have been advised to conduct their campaign through digital mode as much as possible. Maximum of ten persons will be allowed for door-to-door election campaign by candidates. If a candidate or political party violates any of the above guidelines, no further permission will be given to the concerned candidate or party for rallies or meetings.</span>