Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju tests positive for Covid-19

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Ahead of assembly polls in Punjab, the state's Chief Electoral Officer Dr S Karuna Raju confirmed that he has been tested positive for Covid-19.

Punjab will go for polls in 117 Legislative constituencies on February 14 in a single phase. The news of him getting infected with the virus came just a day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Assembly Election in five states, including Punjab.

As per the schedule, the issue of the notification is on January 21, 2022, and the last date of making nominations would be January 28, 2022, while scrutiny of nominations would be done on January 29, 2022. The date of withdrawal of candidature has been fixed for January 31, 2022. The date for polling has been fixed on February 14, 2022, whereas, counting will be done on March 10, 2022. Elections for five state assemblies, namely Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Goa will be conducted in seven phases.

Previously, Punjab Assembly Elections were held on February 4, 2017, to elect the 117 members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly. Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party were in an alliance. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was the Chief Minister before 2017. In March 2017, the Indian National Congress led by former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh defeated the ruling alliance and the newcomer Aam Aadmi Party. Captain had contested against PS Badal in Lambi, won from Patiala and became CM.

Ahead of the Assembly elections, Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) and Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress have formed a six member-Committee to decide on seat sharing, informed Punjab BJP in charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats.

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