UP Panchayat Elections to Proceed on Schedule Despite Census Activities
Senior state election officials in Uttar Pradesh have confirmed that the upcoming Panchayat elections will be conducted on time, despite the recent announcement of census dates by the central government. There are no plans to delay or postpone the electoral process due to the census, as both operations represent separate mandates with distinct jurisdictions.
Separate Mandates Ensure Smooth Progression
The census is conducted by the central government, while Panchayat elections fall under the jurisdiction of the state government. This clear separation of responsibilities allows both processes to move forward independently without significant interference. Tentative dates indicate that the final publication of updated electoral rolls should occur by March 28, which will pave the way for the anticipated three-phase election.
Officials acknowledged that some petitioners have approached the court seeking timely declaration of the polls. However, they affirmed that the election commission is proceeding with all necessary preparations and ensuring readiness on their end to meet the established timelines.
Manpower Management and Technological Innovation
A primary concern had been the availability of manpower, given that both the census and elections rely on similar pools of government staff including teachers, shiksha mitras, and lekhpals. Election officials have clarified that there is no significant overlap expected in the timing of these activities, and they possess adequate strategies to manage both processes independently without compromising either.
One of the most notable advancements planned for this election cycle is the implementation of Face Recognition System technology to prevent duplicate voting. If successfully deployed, this would represent the first large-scale implementation of such technology in Uttar Pradesh's electoral history.
How the Face Recognition System Will Operate
The system will function by capturing a voter's photograph at the polling booth in real-time. This image will then be instantly cross-checked against a central database to identify and block any attempts at duplicate voting. While this may require an additional staff member per booth, officials emphasize that the system is largely software-based and can be managed using existing mobile devices.
Election authorities are also developing contingency plans in case of signal disruptions or technical failures. Parallel manual systems will serve as backup to ensure the voting process remains uninterrupted regardless of technological challenges.
Logistical Scale and Voter Data Verification
In terms of operational scale, the state anticipates requiring staff for approximately 56,000 polling booths, corresponding to the number of gram panchayats throughout Uttar Pradesh. With 4–5 personnel needed per booth, the total manpower requirement will depend on whether elections are conducted in three or four phases—a decision that hinges on staff availability and finalization of the voter list.
Regarding voter data, officials addressed a discrepancy between the state's rural voter count (approximately 12.69 crore) and the Election Commission of India's overall Uttar Pradesh figure (approximately 12.55 crore). This gap has been attributed to duplicate entries and the exclusion of urban data from panchayat electoral rolls.
In response, the state has initiated a comprehensive re-verification drive, conducting district and block-level deduplication processes to finalize a clean and accurate voter list before the elections commence.
Confidence in Timely Execution
Despite logistical challenges and the parallel census schedule, Uttar Pradesh election authorities express confidence in proceeding as planned. Preparations remain on track for timely Panchayat polls, with officials affirming their commitment to conducting free, fair, and technologically-enhanced elections that maintain the integrity of the democratic process.
