Election Commission's notification for UP phase 2 polls on Friday

In the second phase, Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha, Sambhal, Moradabad, Rampur, Bareilly, Badaun and Shahjahanpur will vote.

In the 2017 state elections, BJP won 40 seats from these 55 assembly segments while SP won 13 and BSP two.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ajay Kumar Shukla said here the notification for the phase will be issued at 11 am on Friday.

Friday will also mark the last date for filing of nominations for the first phase and the first date for filing nomination for second phase.

The state will go to polls in seven phases covering 403 assembly seats with polling to be held between Feb 10 and Mar 7 and announcement of result on March 10.

In the first phase, filing of nominations commenced from January 14, scrutiny of the nominations filed till Friday will be held on January 24.

The last date for withdrawal is Jan 27. Uttar Pradesh begins voting on Feb 10, when 58 assembly seats of 11 districts of western UP will vote.

For the second phase, filing of nominations will commence from Jan 21, last date for filing of nominations is Jan 28, scrutiny on Jan 29 and last date for withdrawal is Jan 31.

Already over 120 companies of Central forces have reached Uttar Pradesh to maintain law and order during the polls.

In 2017 too, it was a seven-phase election but the duration this time is 5 days less.