New Delhi: Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began today (February 10, 2022) at 7:00 am.
The first phase of polls cover 58 assembly constituencies across 11 districts of the state, covering the Jat-dominant belt of western Uttar Pradesh.
These districts include Shamli, Meerut, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Mathura.
The voting is taking place at 25,849 polling stations and 10,766 polling centres. In order to contain the Covid surge, EC has announced that not more than 1,000 voters are allowed to cast their votes on one polling booth and every booth will be mandatorily sanitized by the authorities.
The Election Commission has announced various protocols for voters and election officials. EC directed the officials to make sure measures like sanitizers, thermal scanner, soap, masks, face shields and gloves etc are available at the polling stations.
Other SOPs such as social distancing, token system to avoid queues and optional Postal Ballot facility will also be implemented at the polling booths. EC has also extended voting time by an hour and electors will have to wear face masks, gloves and sanitize their hands.
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Check Covid-19 guidelines for assembly elections here:
1. Voters with Covid-19 related symptoms will exercise their franchise in the last hour of polling today.
2. Voters with Covid-related symptoms will be provided PPE kits for their safety.
3. After voting on EVM-VVPAT, the voters will need to dispose of the used glove in a dustbin and sanitize their hands before exiting from the polling station
4. If the temperature of a Covid negative voter is above the set norms, they will be given a token to come and vote at the last hour of polling.
5. No gadgets will be allowed inside polling booth.
6. Voters will have to stand in queue maintaining a 6-feet physical distance.
Meanwhile, the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
As many as 623 candidates are in the fray in the first phase and around 2.27 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase.
