UP legislative council polls to be held after Assembly election: EC

On January 28, the EC had announced that the biennial legislative council elections will be held in two phases, on March 3 and 7.

The move came after political parties had requested the poll panel to reschedule the Uttar Pradesh MLC polls and hold them after the UP Assembly elections.

The Election Commission on Sunday announced that the biennial elections to 36 legislative council seats spread across 35 local bodies in Uttar Pradesh will be rescheduled and held after the state assembly elections.

“The said elections were to be conducted in two phases with scheduled poll dates of 3rd March for 29 constituencies and 7th March 2022 for 06 constituencies, keeping in view the schedule of the ongoing General Elections to Legislative Assembly in the State which are being conducted in 07 phases,” the EC stated.

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The move came after political parties had requested the poll panel to reschedule the Uttar Pradesh MLC polls and hold them after the UP Assembly elections.

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“The Political Parties have, inter-alia, mentioned about difficulties in simultaneously carrying out their election management matters in the two elections viz. General Elections to Uttar Pradesh State Legislative Assembly and Biennial election to Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council,” EC added.

“They have mentioned that two elections of different nature may create confusion among the party workers and electors at large. They have also brought to the notice that the electors in MLC elections are party representatives who are actively engaged in the ongoing General Elections. For ensuring active participation of political parties in MLC elections, they have urged the Commission to re-schedule these MLC elections after the completion of General Elections to Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly,” it further said.

The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to polls in seven phases from February 10 to March 7 and the counting of votes will be held on March 10.

On January 28, the EC had announced that the biennial legislative council elections will be held in two phases, on March 3 and 7. The counting was to take place on March 12. The term of the members is scheduled to end on March 7.