PANJIM: The election cycle in five States, including Goa, is expected to start before March 15, 2022 as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) circular.
Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh will go for general Assembly elections next year, as the term of the existing State assemblies are set to expire between March and May next year.
The term of current Goa Legislative Assembly will end on March 15, next year, followed by Manipur on March 19, 2022, Punjab on March 27, 2022, Uttarakhand on March 23, 2022 and Uttar Pradesh on May 14, next year.
The ECI has communicated with the Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of the five States informing them about the term of the government, due to lapse.
The election machinery has geared up with EVMs, VVPATs reaching the State for the polls. The summary revision of the photo electoral roll is scheduled from November 1 with final publication on January 5, 2022.
Elections in Goa were last held on February 4, 2017, with Congress emerging as the single largest party with 17 MLAs. The Congress, however, is currently left with only four MLAs in Goa, after 13 of them joined the ruling BJP and one resigned as MLA to join the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), earlier this month.
BJP, despite having 13 MLAs in 2017 managed to form the government with support from regional parties and independents.
Currently, BJP has 27 MLAs, Congress four, Goa Forward Party has three, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and MGP have one each and there are three Independents.
