Uttarakhand Assembly Election 2022 Updates

Activities, actions, and events in the build-up to Uttarakhand Assembly elections 2022

Uttarakhand Assembly Election 2022 Updates

State Elections |
Open | 11 Mar '22 (Last Updated)

Uttarakhand Assembly Elections 2022 - Results Summary

Access detailed historical insights and expert analysis on Uttarakhand Assembly elections here.

February 2022

  • 14 Feb: Elections for the 70 Assembly seats across 13 districts were conducted at 11,697 polling booths. The total voter turnout was 62.5% in comparison to 65.6% in the 2017 Assembly elections. 98 voter-verifiable paper audit trails, 30 Central Units, and 31 Balloting Units had to be replaced during polling. In addition, 203 FIRs were lodged against various parties for violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). As per the statement by the Chief Electoral Officer, the electronic voting machines will be kept in strongrooms under full-time CCTV camera surveillance till the day of counting on March 10.
  • 12 Feb: Chief minister Pushkar S Dhami promised to form a committee to prepare a draft for implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand when voted to power. The UCC will provide for the same laws regarding marriages, divorce, land-property and inheritance for all people, irrespective of their faith, he said.
  • 07 Feb: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal announced his party's 10-point agenda for Uttarakhand. He promised to make Uttarakhand an "international spiritual capital for Hindus" to boost tourism and provide employment opportunities to the youth. In line with the "Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana" in Delhi, Kejriwal assured a free darshan of Ayodhya for Hindus and a free visit to Ajmer Sharif for Muslims in Uttarakhand. He also promised to transfer ₹1000 per month directly into the bank account of every woman and provide health care facilities on the lines of Delhi’s mohalla (neighbourhood) clinics.
  • 07 Feb: Addressing a virtual rally in Haridwar and Dehradun during the 'Vijay Sankalp Sabha', PM Modi tore into the previous Congress governments in Uttarakhand and at the Centre accusing it of holding back on the development in the state. Reasoning that the state was created against the party's wishes, he cited the non-implementation of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line as a burning example of Congress' anti-development mindset.
  • 05 Feb: While on a visit to Uttarakhand, Rahul Gandhi performed 'Ganga aarti' at the Har Ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar. "Salutations to Ganga ji! Praying for the bright future of Uttarakhand," he tweeted after performing the aarti.

Congress releasing its manifesto for Uttarakhand polls 2022

  • 02 Feb: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra released the Congress' manifesto for Uttarakhand, titled 'Uttarakhand Swabhiman Pratigya Patra' at a virtual rally in Dehradun. The manifesto promises to reserve 40 percent jobs for women in the police department, jobs to four lakh people, and the creation of a 'tourism police' force, capping the LPG prices at ₹ 500. Accusing the BJP government in Uttarakhand of doing nothing over the past five years, she asked people to take their vote seriously because it was their "most powerful weapon” to bring change.

January 2022

  • 31 Jan: The Election Commission extended the ban on roadshows, pad-yatras, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies, and processions till February 11. However, it has given some relaxation in the number of people allowed at meetings and door-to-door campaigns. From the earlier limit of 500, a maximum of 1,000 people will now be permitted for physical public meetings in designated open spaces. Instead of 10 persons, now 20 persons, excluding security personnel, will be allowed for door-to-door campaigns.
  • 27 Jan: Former Uttarakhand Congress Chief, Kishore Upadhyay who was suspended from Congress for "anti-party activities" for six years yesterday, joined the BJP. "I have joined the BJP with the spirit of taking Uttarakhand forward. I think Uttarakhand's development is only possible under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and I want to work towards making Uttarakhand a better state. I am impressed with the work RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and BJP have done in Tehri and Uttarkashi. I am grateful to Prahlad Joshi for giving me this opportunity to be a part of the BJP," he said after joining the BJP.
  • 21 Jan: Five days after he was expelled from the BJP for allegedly pushing for tickets for his family members, Harak Singh Rawat joined the Congress along with his daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain. Harak Singh Rawat, who represented the Kotdwar seat in the Uttarakhand Assembly, was among the 10 MLAs who had rebelled against his brother, then Chief Minister Harish Rawat in 2016 and joined the BJP, reducing the Congress to a minority in the state. Despite personally not being in favor of the decision, Harish Rawat agreed to his brother rejoining the party based on the suggestion of many within the Congress who wanted Harak Singh back.
  • 19 Jan: Colonel Vijay Rawat, the brother of India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat who died last month in a helicopter crash, joined the BJP today in Uttarakhand ahead of the state polls. "My father (Gen. Laxman Singh Rawat) after retiring from the Army, was with the BJP. Now I have got an opportunity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision is special. All his work is for the progress of this nation. That is what encouraged me to join the BJP. His plan for Uttarakhand is a product of a great vision," Colonel Vijay Rawat said. Welcoming Colonel Rawat to the party, the Chief Minister said, "General Rawat wanted to work more in Uttarakhand. We are glad that his brother has joined us. I am happier because I am also a soldier's son. We feel an emptiness ever since we lost General Rawat. His brother is here with us now."
  • 19 Jan: Congress leader Harish Rawat said that his party will punish those accused in Haridwar hate speech case if it comes to power in Uttarakhand.
  • 18 Jan: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was all praise for his BJP government at a virtual rally held today. He said the Congress government only laid foundation stones of projects and left them at that while the BJP government was completing the ones it had started. "Work is underway on a war footing on all the projects that the BJP took up after taking over whether it is Kedarnath reconstruction, Chardham all-weather road, or the much-awaited Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line. The Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sanctioned projects worth ₹1.5 lakh crore for Uttarakhand over the past five years out of which work on many has already begun," he said.

Sarita Arya joining BJP

  • 17 Jan: After being expelled from Congress for six years, the state's women Congress president and former Nainital MLA Sarita Arya joined BJP at its state headquarters in Dehradun on Balbir Road in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state party president Madan Kaushik and other leaders. Ms. Arya said she joined the BJP because of a "sense of guilt" as she was not being able to secure tickets for women candidates in Uttarakhand despite being the state's Mahila Congress president. Welcoming her into the party, Mr Dhami said Ms. Arya always fought for the poor, deprived sections and women and that her entry would definitely strengthen the party.
  • 17 Jan: Expelled Uttarakhand BJP leader Harak Singh Rawat broke down on camera today as he accused the BJP of removing him without even speaking with him."They (BJP) didn't talk to me once before taking such a big decision. If I hadn't left Congress to join BJP, I would have resigned from the BJP four years ago. I don't have much interest in being a minister, I just wanted to work," Harak Singh Rawat told news agency ANI. "Now I will talk to the Congress and work for the Congress." Mr Rawat was sacked and expelled the previous night for anti-party activities including lobbying for tickets for his family members. "Harak Singh Rawat was putting pressure on the party (seeking party tickets) for his family members but we have a different policy. Only one member of a family will be given a party ticket for elections," the CM said.
  • 12 Jan: With the Election Commission ban on organising roadshows and rallies till January 15, the BJP has decided to make use of technology and deploy one IT expert in every constituency of the state to expedite the party's meetings, virtual rallies, campaigns and other programmes. BJP has also proposed to construct a war room IT cell in the capital, Dehradun where it will be able to hold virtual meetings with 15 senior leaders at a time and cover more than 10 Vidhan Sabhas seats in a day.
  • 10 Jan: Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia initiated the party's Nav Parivartan Samvad (dialogue for change) virtually. He urged the people of Uttarakhand to consider the coming assembly polls as an opportunity to change their lives and get rid of the problems plaguing the state for years. "BJP and Congress have been in power alternately in Uttarakhand but done nothing for its development which was the main objective behind its creation. All they have done is fill their coffers. Problems like migration, lack of schools and hospitals remain where they were at the time of its creation 21 years ago. February 14 brings to you an opportunity to vote for change and get rid of the problems plaguing the state for years," he said.
  • 08 Jan: The Election Commission announced the dates for Assembly elections in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. The five states will vote over seven phases starting February 10, with the counting of votes scheduled for March 10. Uttarahand will vote in a single phase on February 14 along with Punjab and Goa.
  • 08 Jan: In compliance with the Supreme Court's directives, Sushil Chandra, the Chief Election Commissioner, mandated all political parties to compulsorily explain the reasons behind the selection of candidates with a criminal record and publish the criminal records of the candidates on the EC website. He also said that "winnability" as reason alone will not suffice and that the citizens had the right to know their candidates.
  • 03 Jan: The All India Bar Association (AIBA) sent a representation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting it to defer the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand due to the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Senior advocate Dr. Adish C Aggarwala, Chairman of AIBA stated that a large number of people gather in election rallies without adhering to the Covid protocols. The representation stated that if the elections in these States are not postponed till Omicron Covid-19 is over, it would lead to the deaths of lakhs of people in India despite the best efforts of the Central and State Governments, similar to what happened during the second wave of Covid-19.
  • 03 Jan: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised to pay ₹1 crore to the next of kin of security personnel killed in the line of duty in Uttarakhand as "Samman Rashi" if his party (AAP) is voted to power in the state in the 2022 assembly polls. He also promised to give jobs in government to retired Army jawans aged 34-35 years and make them partners in the building of a new Uttarakhand making full use of their patriotism, military skills, and discipline. "Uttarakhand has the largest representation in the armed forces and if soldiers make up their mind, no one can stop the Aam Aadmi Party from coming to power in the state," he said.

December 2021

  • 30 Dec: In his second visit to Uttarakhand this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones of projects worth over ₹17,500 crore in Haldwani. The projects unveiled included the inauguration of six development projects worth ₹3,420 crore and laying the foundation stones of 17 others worth ₹14,127 crore. The inaugurated projects include three different stretches of the Chardham all-weather road which have been widened, Nagina-Kashipur National Highway, Suring Gad hydel project, and sewage works under the Namami Gange programme at Nainital. Lakhwar multi-purpose hydro-electricity project worth ₹5,747 crore, an AIIMS satellite centre for Kumaon worth ₹500 crore, Moradabad-Kashipur four-lane road, improved road connectivity with Nepal and an Aroma Park in Kashipur are among the key projects whose foundation was laid by the Prime Minister.

  • 24 Dec: A day after former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat's dig at the Congress leadership, he today spoke of being a party loyalist who has devoted his life to the welfare of the state. "Kadam kadam badhae jaa, Congress ke geet gae jaa. Zingadi hai Uttarakhand ke vaaste, Uttarakhand par lutae jaa (Keep on marching forward, sing songs of the Congress, devote life to Uttarakhand)," he said. In his tweets a day earlier, Mr. Rawat took a dig at the Congress leadership, saying the "nominees of those whose directions one has to swim (in the electoral battle) are tying my hands and feet" and also expressed worries at factionalism and non-cooperation from the party. He also said a thought has been crossing his mind that "it is time to rest".
  • 04 Dec: Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started the BJP's election campaign in Uttarakhand, inaugurating or laying foundations of projects worth over ₹18,000 crore. He said that the infrastructure projects inaugurated are a part of a connectivity "mahayagya" that is underway across the country to make up for the loss of 10 years of the previous government. "We are doing things at double-triple speed to make up for the lost time," PM Modi said addressing a rally at the Parade Ground. He said the previous governments had done little for the development of Uttarakhand whereas the BJP government at the Centre had spent ₹12,000 crore on the development of the state in the past seven and a half years. "Uttarakhand's development is the highest priority of the double engine government. We have sanctioned development projects worth over ₹1 lakh crore for the state," PM Modi said.

November 2021

  • 21 Nov: Riding on the back of the Delhi-model of development, Arvind Kejriwal today made some big promises in Uttarakhand "for life and afterlife". "Humein vote do, hum aapka lok bhi sudhar denge aur parlok bhi (vote for us, we will improve your life and afterlife)," he said as he promised free "teerth yatra" (pilgrimage) for Uttarakhand if his party is voted to power. "I went to Ayodhya recently for Ram Lalla's darshan. I prayed for the potential to help everyone get an opportunity to visit Ram Lalla. In Delhi, we have already introduced such a scheme. If we are elected here also, we will ensure free travel to Ayodhya. For Muslim brothers, we will arrange travel to Ajmer Sharif, and for Sikh brothers, we will arrange travel to the holy Kartarpur Corridor," he said in a televised address.

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