The Election Commission of India will announced the schedule for the Assembly polls in Goa, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh at 3.30 pm on Saturday, reported ANI.

The states will go to polls later this year.

The Election Commission had said parties in Uttar Pradesh want the polls to be held as per schedule despite a rapid rise in coronavirus cases.

All political parties have started their campaign for the Assembly elections despite the rising number of infections in the country. There has already been lack of Covid-appropriate behaviour during these events, triggering criticism.

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On Wednesday, the Uttarakhand High Court had asked the Election Commission to consider banning large gatherings and to allow virtual rallies for the state Assembly elections expected to be held next month amid a resurgence of coronavirus cases in India

On December 23, Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court requested the Election Commission to postpone the upcoming Assembly polls. He had also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately ban rallies and public meetings of political parties. “Jaan hain toh jahan hain [if there is life, we have the world],” he observed.

The Centre had urged the five poll-bound states to increase the pace of vaccination. The health ministry had called for inoculation of all eligible persons with the first dose and to track citizens whose second shot has been pending.

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Elections in four states and one Union Territory were held in the midst of India’s second wave of Covid last year, prompting criticism against the government. Some courts too had pulled up the government and Election Commission for allowing huge rallies, where thousands flouted Covid protocol, during the devastating second wave of the virus.

Also read: All parties want UP Assembly polls to be held as scheduled, says EC amid Covid case surge