In poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the high-pitch electoral campaign is going on in full swing for the Second Phase polling and Single-Phase polls in Goa and Uttarakhand as the state gears up for polling in the First of the Seven-Phase Assembly Elections is progressing smoothly today. The Star Campaigners and prominent leaders of various political parties engaged in public rallies after finalisation of the candidates for the first two phases. The door to door canvassing and virtual appeals to the voters also continue. The political activities are picking up momentum in other poll-bound states as well including Punjab and Manipur with the party leaders deliberating in marathon meetings to finalise their electoral strategies and formations.  <br />''  <br />'' The process of filing nominations for the Seventh and Last Phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh has begun with the issuance of notification today. The state is going to polls in seven phases till 7th of March and the counting of votes will be be taken up together on 10th of March.<br />'' The Seventh Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 7th of next month in 54 Assembly Constituencies from nine districts including 11 ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes and two for the Scheduled Tribes. They include Mau, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra and Bhadohi (Sant Ravidas Nagar) district.<br />'' <br />'' During the Seventh and Last Phase polling in Uttar Pradesh, the nominations can be filed till 17th and the scrutiny will be undertaken on 18th of February. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 21st of February. Total 2,05,51,521 electors will be eligible to exercise their franchise during the Seventh Phase. They include 1,09,01,009 male, 96,49,495 female and 1,017 third gender voters.    <br />''  <br />'' Meanwhile, the picture of the electoral battle in the Fourth Phase of Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh became clear with mostly multi-cornered contests on cards after withdrawal of candidature. There are a total 624 candidates in fray for 59 Assembly seats. Maximum 15 candidates are vying for Sawayazpur while minimum six candidates each are contesting for two seats including Palia and Sevata seat.<br />'' <br />'' The electoral contests in the Third Phase of Assembly Elections in the state also indicate mostly multi-cornered fixtures. There are 627 candidates in fray for 59 seats included in this phase. Maximum 15 candidates each are vying for three seats including Etah, Mehroni and Mahoba while minimum three candidates are in the fray for Karhal seat.  <br />''    <br />'' During the Single-Phase polling in Punjab, total 1,304 candidates are in fray for 117 seats after the withdrawal of candidature. Maximum 19 candidates each are vying for Sahnewal and Patiala seats while minimum five candidates are in the fray for Dinnagar seat.<br />''  <br />'' During the UP Fifth Phase along with the First of the Two-Phase polling in Manipur, the scrutiny of nominations was completed yesterday. In all, 718 nominations were found valid in Uttar Pradesh while 175 nominations were found valid in Manipur for this phase. The candidature can be withdrawn till tomorrow.<br />''  <br />'' The process of filing nominations for the Sixth of the Seven-Phase Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh as well as the Second and Last Phase polling in Manipur is also underway. In all, 314 nominations were filed in Uttar Pradesh while 47 nominations were filed in Manipur for this phase till the last evening. The nominations can be filed till tomorrow and the scrutiny will be undertaken on Monday. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 16th of February.<br />'' During the Second Phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh, 586 candidates are in fray for 55 Assembly seats while 301 candidates are contesting for 40 seats in the Single-Phase polls in Goa and 632 candidates are vying for 70 seats in Uttarakhand.    <br />'' <br />'' The Second Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 14th of February in 55 Assembly Constituencies including nine ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes from nine districts. These districts include Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha (J.P. Nagar), Moradabad, Bareilly, Rampur, Sambhal (Bhim Nagar), Budaun and Shahjahanpur district. In addition, the Single-Phase polling in two states Goa and Uttarakhand will be held simultaneously. Forty seats in Goa and 70 seats in Uttarakhand will go to polls together in this phase.  <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. These disticts include Hathras, Kanshiram Nagar (Kasganj), Etah, Mainpuri, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Etawah, Auraiya, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur district. 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 />'' 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. These districts include Pilibhit, Lakhimpur – Kheri, Sitapur, Lucknow, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Fatehpur and Banda district.<br />'' <br />'' The Fifth Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 27th of February in 61 Assembly Constituencies from 12 districts including nine ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Shravasti, Bahraich, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Amethi (Chatrapati Sahuji Mahraj Nagar), Raebareilly, Sultanpur, Gonda, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj and Chitrakoot district. In addition, the First of the Two-Phase polling in Manipur will be held simultaneously. Thirty eight seats from six districts will go to polls out of which one seat is reserved for the Scheduled Castes and eight seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. These districts include Imphal East and West, Bishnupur, Pherzawl, Churchandpur and Kangpokpi district.<br />'' <br />'' The Sixth Phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on 3rd of March in 57 Assembly Constituencies from 10 districts including 11 ACs reserved for the Scheduled Castes. They include Balrampur, Siddharth Nagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Ambedkar Nagar, Ballia, Maharajganj, Kushinagar (Padrauna), Gorakhpur and Deoria district. In addition, the Second and Last Phase polling in Manipur will be held simultaneously. Twenty two Assembly seats in Manipur will go to polls in this phase.<br />'' <br />'' In the Second Phase of Assembly Elections in Manipur, 22 seats spread over ten districts will go to polls out of which eleven seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. These districts include Thoubal, Kakching, Jiribam, Chandel, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Ukhrul,  Senapati, Tamenglong and Noney district.<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 decided to continue with the ban on road shows, Pad-Yatras, cycle or vehicle rallies and processions during the election period.<br />'' <br />'' The ban on campaigning between 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. will also continue. 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 has decided to relax restrictions and allow indoor or outdoor public meetings of Political parties or contesting candidates in designated spaces subject to condition that the number of persons attending will be limited to  a maximum  of 50 per cent of the capacity of indoor halls and 30 per cent of the open ground capacity or the prescribed limit set by State Disaster Management Authorities, whichever is lesser, for all phases.<br />'' <br />'' The Commission has also kept the limit for door to door campaigns. Instead of 10 persons, now 20 persons, excluding security personnel, will be allowed for door to door campaigns. The political parties and contesting candidates will have to ensure the compliance of COVID Appropriate Behaviour and guidelines and Model Code of Conduct at all occasions during the activities connected with elections. All concerned State and District Authorities will ensure full compliance of these instructions.