The Election Commission has announced the new poll date for the postponed first phase of Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. The poll for this phase will now be held on the 3rd of March instead of 4th February.The Election Commission had to reschedule the first phase due to uncertainty over the birth anniversary celebrations of Prophet Mohammad. According to the Election Commission sources, the counting of votes for all the five states, will now take place on the 6th of March.Meanwhile, political activity has picked up in Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand where polls will take place this month.Votes in Manipur will be cast on 28th of this month while in Punjab and Uttarakhand on 30th.The political parties are busy finalising their list of candidates and alliances apart from preparing election manifestoes.The Election Commission has made special arrangements to keep a close watch on the use of black money and paid news in the poll bound states.Congress, BJP and Akali Dal have already announced most of the names of the contestants for Punjab and Uttarakhand.In Punjab , Peoples' Party of Punjab has also thrown its hat in the ring in the poll fray for the first time with already fielding 93 candidates.In Uttar Pradesh, though the voting is spread in seven phases, the political activity has picked up with Congress, SP, BSP and BJP organising poll rallies to seek the support of the voters.