EC to announce polls in five states

According to sources, the dates will be announced for elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Goa at a press conference here at noon.

The terms of the legislative assemblies of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur are ending in mid-March, while the Uttar Pradesh assembly's term would expire in May.

As per the law, elections to the legislative assembly of a state must be held -- and new assembly formed -- well before its term expires.

The Election Commission had last week asked the five poll-bound states to brace up for the elections and had urged strict adherence to the Model Code of Conduct that would come into force immediately after the announcement of polls.