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1st Ld Writethru: India announces election dates in five states

Xinhua, January 4, 2017 Adjust font size:

India's Election Commission Wednesday announced a scheduled for forthcoming local elections in five Indian states.

The elections for state Assemblies (lawmaking bodies) will be held in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa.

India's Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi while announcing the schedule at a press conference said the elections will be held between Feb. 4 and March 8.

Counting of votes according to Zaidi would be carried out on March 11.

More than 160 million voters are expected to cast their votes to elect representatives to these state assemblies.

Elections in Uttar Pradesh, the India's most most populous state will be held in five phases from Feb. 11 to March 8.

In Manipur, elections will be held in two phases on March 4 and 8.

There will be single phase elections in Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab. Goa and Punjab will go to polls on Feb. 4 while as in Uttarakhand elections will be held on Feb. 15.

According to officials 690 constituencies will go for polls.

Uttar Pradesh has 403 seats, Punjab 117, Uttarakhand 70, Manipur 60 and Goa 40 seats.

"We are committed to conduct the elections in a free and fair manner," Zaidi said.

With the announcement of poll schedule, model code of conduct (which means no administrative decision that can influence voters will be taken) has come into effect in these states.

Zaidi said candidates participating in these elections would have to follow election commission's guidelines. Endit