Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Friday said that the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held on time, and if necessary, the census work can be extended.
Elections have to be held in Uttar Pradesh before May 24, 2027 and the polls will be held before that, Kumar said at a national media conference organised at the India International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Management, New Delhi.
With less than a year left for the assembly elections, by-polls will not be held in Ghosi, Duddhi and Faridpur assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Kumar said.
“Earlier, SIR (Special Intensive Revision) was going on in UP, SIR continued till April 10. After that elections were held in other states, including West Bengal. Thereafter, the commission got busy with other election work. Now the commission is a little free, but less than a year is left for the assembly elections, hence by-elections will not be held there,” he said.
Kumar also said there is currently no plan to conduct online elections in the country.
“Elections in the country are conducted in accordance with the Constitution. The Constitution does not provide for online elections, so there is currently no plan to conduct online elections in the country,” he said.
Stating that the Election Commission conducted its SIR work within the ambit of the Constitution and the law, he said 786 cases were filed against the commission in the past year, of which 785 cases were decided in the poll panel’s favour, while one case in Goa was decided against it.
{{/usCountry}}Stating that the Election Commission conducted its SIR work within the ambit of the Constitution and the law, he said 786 cases were filed against the commission in the past year, of which 785 cases were decided in the poll panel’s favour, while one case in Goa was decided against it.
{{/usCountry}}Voter turnout is steadily increasing due to the commission’s working methods and voter awareness, he said.
“The West Bengal assembly elections saw over 92% voter turnout, a rate unmatched by any other country in the world,” he said.
Noting that voting is compulsory in 22 countries, including Australia, Thailand, Peru, and Brazil, he said some countries also impose financial penalties for not voting.
Despite this, voter turnout is still lower than in many Indian states, he said.
The third phase of the Census in Uttar Pradesh, in which door-to-door counting of people is to be done, is proposed in February 2027. At the same time, going by the timetable of 2017 and 2022, assembly elections are also likely to be held in February-March 2027.
In response to a question on how the Census and elections can be held together, Kumar said the Census is a legal process whereas assembly elections are a constitutional process.
Hence, the Constitutional process is more important, he said.