Electoral security arrangements have been made for tomorrow’s polling for single-phase Assembly elections in Uttarakhand and second phase in Uttar Pradesh.

Uttarakhand, voters will exercise their franchise to elect 69 members of the 70-member Assembly. The elections for Karnaprayag seat in Chamoli district, which was postponed following the death of BSP candidate Kuldeep Singh Kanwasi, will be held on the 9th of next month.

In Uttar Pradesh, polling for the second phase will be held in 67 constituencies spread over 11 districts. Election for the Alapur constituency, which was postponed following SP candidate Chandrashekhar’s death, will also be held on the 9th of next month. The districts going for polls in the second phase include Saharanpur, Bijnore, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri and Badayun. Barricades have been erected at the entry points of districts where round the clock intense search of vehicles is being carried out by security forces.

The Indo-Nepal border and the boundaries connecting to Uttarakhand have been sealed. Special instructions have been given to check illegal money and liquor. Meanwhile, campaigning has intensified in areas going to polls in remaining 5 phases of 7-phase polls in the state. Today is also the last date for filing of nominations for the sixth phase, in which 49 constituencies will go to polls on the 4th of next month. Uttar Pradesh has a 403-member Assembly.

Uttar Pradesh, the nomination filing ends today for 49 Vidhan Sabha seats of sixth phase. A total of 439 candidates had filed nomination till yesterday for this phase.

CEO T Venkatesh said that after the passage of last date of name withdrawal in fifth phase on 13th February, now a total of 618 candidates have been left in fray for 52 seats of fifth phase.

Meanwhile, Campaigning for the second phase of assembly elections ended yesterday evening. The voting will be held on february 15. 67 seats spread over 11 districts will go to polls in this phase. The districts which will go for poll in this phase are Saharanpur, Bijnore, Moradabad, Sambhal, Rampur, Bareily, Amroha, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheeri, Shahjahanpur and Badayun. Elaborate security arrangements are underway for the smooth functioning of the polling process.

There are 721 candidates including 82 women and one third gender in the fray. The fate of these candidates will be decided by 2.28 crore voters, including over 1.04 crore women. There will be 14,771 polling centres and 23,693 polling stations in the second phase.