E-Paper
UP polls: ECI to review ban on physical rallies, roadshows today
45 districts going to poll in the first four phases in UP have 41,751 active Covid cases of the total 55,574 active cases in state
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will on Monday review the Covid situation in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh to take a decision over the ban it imposed on physical rallies, roadshows and “padyatras” in view of the surge in Covid cases while announcing the poll schedule for five states, including UP, on January 8.
While assessing the Covid situation on January 22, the ECI had given certain relaxations to political parties, including organising meetings at designated open spaces, indoor meetings as well as door-to-door campaign. With UP registering a decline in fresh Covid cases as active Covid cases in the state came down to 55,574 on Sunday (January 30) from the peak on January 17 when 1,06,616 active cases were reported, the poll panel is likely to give more relaxation to the political parties in organising election campaign on Monday.
The filing of nomination papers for the first phase of assembly election on 58 seats in 11 districts and 55 assembly segments in 9 districts of west UP in the second phase has culminated while filing of papers for the third phase poll on 59 seats in 16 districts and for the fourth phase on 60 seats in 9 districts is continuing after the ECI issued notifications for these phases.
In the first phase on February 10, polling will be held on 58 assembly constituencies located in 11 districts, including Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura and Agra. In the second phase, polling on 55 assembly seats in 9 districts, including Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Sambhal, Rampur, Bareilly, Buduan and Shahjahanpur will be on February 14.
Polling for the third phase on 59 seats in Hathras, Kasganj, Etah, Firozabad, Farrukhabad, Mainpuri, Etawah, Kannauj, Auriya, Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Jhansi and Lalitpur districts will be held on February 20 while polling on 60 assembly seats in Pilibhit, Kheri, Sitapur, Hardoi, Lucknow, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Fatehpur and Banda will be held in the fourth phase on February 23.
Collectively, the 45 districts going to poll in four phases have 41,751 active Covid cases of the total 55,574 active cases in the state which is around 75.12% of the Covid caseload in UP making the task of permitting the political parties to hold rallies, roadshows and “padyatras” challenging for the poll panel.
With 8,100 fresh Covid-19 cases across UP in the last 24 hours, the tally of active cases in the state is 55,574. The state is also witnessing an increase in Covid deaths. Within 30 days starting January 1, Uttar Pradesh reported a total 274 deaths, majority of which have been reported in the districts located in west UP and the state capital.
“The state has ramped up Covid vaccination. Among eligible beneficiaries above 18 years of age in Uttar Pradesh, 14,66,76,992 first doses of Covid vaccine have been administered so far, which is 99.49% of the eligible population. Among the beneficiaries, 10,14,97,070 people have got their second dose which is 68.85% of the eligible population. In the age group of 15-18 years, 90,99,722 people have been given first dose while a precautionary dose has been given to 12,53,210 people, including health workers, frontline workers and people above 60 years with comorbidities,” said Amit Mohan Prasad, additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, UP. The recovery rate that was 93.8% on January 22 increased to 95.9% on Sunday, said a health department officer.
Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said, “The political parties and candidates have been directed to comply with the Covid appropriate behaviour, guidelines as well as model code of conduct during election campaign and filing of nomination papers.”
On Sunday, Shamli district reported 181 new Covid cases and has 706 active cases while Muzaffarnagar reported 101 new cases and has 661 active cases. Likewise, Meerut reported 194 new cases and has a total of 1,525 active cases, Baghpat reported 14 new cases and has 245 active cases while Ghaziabad reported 418 new cases and has 2131 active cases.
Besides, Hapur reported 47 new cases and has 330 active cases, Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) reported 364 new cases and has 3,173 active cases while Bulandshahr reported 164 new case and has 1010 active cases. Aligarh reported 55 new cases and has 521 active cases, Mathura reported 64 new cases and has 508 active cases and Agra reported 104 new cases and has 863 active cases.
Saharanpur reported 105 active cases and has 791 active cases, Bijnor reported 137 fresh cases and has 726 active cases, Amroha reported 245 fresh cases and has 645 active cases. Moradabad reported 19 fresh cases and has 536 active cases while Sambhal reported 16 fresh cases and has 172 active cases. Rampur reported 38 fresh cases and has 293 active cases, Bareilly reported 101 fresh cases and has 975 active cases, Budaun reported 83 fresh cases and has 483 active cases while Shahjahanpur reported 237 fresh cases and 795 active cases.
Hathras reported seven new Covid cases and has 49 active cases, Kasganj reported eight new cases and has 45 active cases, Etah reported 72 new Covid cases and has 546 active cases. Firozabad reported 44 new cases and has 245 active cases, Farrukhabad reported 39 new Covid cases and has 393 active cases, Mainpuri reported 19 new cases and has 157 active cases.
Etawah reported 60 new cases and has 426 active cases, Kannauj reported 37 new cases and has 352 active cases while Auriya reported 16 new Covid cases and has 206 active cases. Kanpur Nagar reported 212 new Covid cases and has 2,058 active cases, Kanpur Dehat reported 39 new cases and has 245 active cases while Jalaun reported 132 new cases and has 544 active cases.
Besides, Hamirpur reported 40 new Covid cases and has 170 active cases, Mahoba reported five new cases and has 47 active cases, Jhansi reported 173 new cases and has 2,073 active cases.
Lalitpur reported 272 new Covid cases and has 640 active cases, Pilibhit reported 102 new cases and has 404 active cases, Kheri reported 259 new Covid cases and has 1441 active cases. Sitapur reported 102 new Covid cases and has 669 active cases, Hardoi reported 75 new cases and has 600 active cases, Lucknow reported 1,385 new Covid cases and has 10,779 active cases.
Unnao reported 119 new cases and has 527 active cases, Rae Bareli reported 241 new Covid cases and has 1230 active cases, Fatehpur reported 29 new cases and has 476 active cases while Banda district reported 43 new Covid cases and has 340 active cases.
