Election Commission Scours Manipur for 2027 Vote Prep

Imphal: Senior Election Commission officials are now in Manipur to gauge readiness for assembly elections slated for early next year. The team acts as a scout. They are assessing the landscape ahead of a full commission visit that will precede the final election schedule.

Manipur is one of five states heading to the polls. The others are Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Goa. These states will hold elections in the same round. The Representation of the People Act, 1950, permits the commission to hold these votes up to six months before a legislative term expires.

The commission’s calendar is tight. Officials already visited Uttarakhand, and they set a review for Punjab on October 28. Plans for a Goa trip are currently undergoing revision. No date exists for Uttar Pradesh, the largest state, which must elect 403 MLAs.

Legislative terms vary. Manipur’s 60-member assembly expires in March 2027, the same month the 117-seat Punjab, 70-seat Uttarakhand, and 40-seat Goa assemblies finish their terms. Uttar Pradesh concludes its session on May 22, 2027. The poll body recently told chief electoral officers that elections are due "early next year" while kicking off an annual special summary revision of electoral rolls across 17 states and Union Territories. Officials expect to publish the final rolls on January 4.