New Delhi:
The Election Commission will announce dates for Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand at 3:30 p.m., a statement from the highest polling station said.
Elections in all five states will be held amid a huge surge in Covid cases across the country, fueled in part by the Omicron variant – this morning, the Union Ministry of Health reported more than 1.41 lakh new infections in over the past 24 hours, up 21 percent from the previous day.
The dates will be announced a day after the Commission has been informed by the government about the Covid situation in the country, and in particular the threat posed by the rapidly spreading Omicron strain.
Concerns over the spread of the virus rose further after political parties held mega rallies in poll-bound states. These gatherings are attended by thousands (many without face masks) and social distancing is completely absent for such events, which are understandably difficult to monitor.
Assembly Elections 2022 Live Updates: UP Elections 2022 are arguably the most contested and politically important elections as it also has the most number of Lok Sabha seats which play a vital role in general elections. All political parties have already started their major election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, with star campaigners drawing huge crowds at various rallies.