New Delhi: The first phase of Assembly polls
in UP to be held on February 4 has been rescheduled and fresh
date will be announced soon, the Election Commission said
today citing uncertainty about the date of `Barawafat`
festival, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad, which may
also fall on the same day.
The poll panel said the law and order enforcing agencies
and District Election Officers of the state had also referred
to the possibility of the Barawafat festival coinciding with
the with the first phase of polls, during the Commission`s
two-day review meeting in Lucknow last week.
A poll panel official said that a revised schedule
will be announced soon.
"The Commission has today decided that the notification
for 60 Assembly constituencies going for poll on February 4
shall not be issued on January 10 as scheduled. This is due to
uncertainty about the date of `Barawafat` festival which may
also fall on February 4," an EC statement said.
"The law and order enforcing agencies and DEOs of Uttar
Pradesh also raised this point during Commission’s review
meeting at Lucknow on January 6 and 7. The revised schedule
for 1 st phase ACs (60 ACs) will be announced by the
Commission separately," it said.
The Commission also requested Governor of Uttar Pradesh
not to issue the notification for 1st Phase scheduled to be
notified on January 10.
According to the earlier announcement, the Uttar Pradesh
elections was scheduled for seven phases between February 4
and 28.
PTI
