Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur may take place in February-March 2027, following changes to the schedule for Census 2027. The adjustments indicate that the Election Commission could complete polling before the earliest assembly term expires.

Census work has been moved forward in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Goa. In Manipur, the house-listing phase has instead been poned. The scheduling decisions are linked to the need to prevent election operations and population-counting work from competing for the same government workforce.

Assembly terms and likely election window

Manipur’s assembly term ends first, on 13 March 2027. The terms in Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand end on 14 March, 16 March and 18 March respectively. Uttar Pradesh’s assembly term ends on 22 May.

All 5 states held elections together in 2022. The first sitting of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly took place on 22 May 2022. If the states again go to the polls together, the Election Commission’s established approach would mean completing voting before the earliest end date, making February-March the expected election period.

Voting in Uttar Pradesh could take place around 2 months before the assembly’s term ends. The timing would be consistent with the pattern seen in the state’s previous 3 elections. Under its constitutional authority, the Election Commission can conduct an election in a state at any point during the 6 months before the assembly’s term expires.

Uttar Pradesh is likely to vote in multiple phases because of its size and population. However, the number of phases could be lower than in earlier large-state elections. If the Election Commission adopts a 2-phase model similar to Bihar, polling could begin in February or early March.

Voter-list work already under way

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been completed in 3 of the poll-bound states and is continuing in the remaining 2. This reduces the possibility that the Election Commission will conduct SIR in those states immediately before announcing the assembly elections.

The figures recorded at the end of SIR were:

  • Uttar Pradesh: 13.4 crore voters, a 13.2% decrease.
  • Goa: 10.6 lakh voters, a 10.2% decrease.
  • Manipur: 19.3 lakh voters, a 7.6% decrease.

The final voter lists for Punjab and Uttarakhand are expected to be issued in the coming months.

How the Census timetable has changed

The Centre has decided to conduct the population-enumeration phase of Census 2027 in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand’s non-snow-bound areas and Goa between 1 December 2026 and 4 January 2027. The reference date for this exercise will be 5 January.

The house-listing phase in Manipur has been deferred. In the other 4 states, bringing forward the population-enumeration work is intended to reduce logistical pressure from a possible overlap between the Census calendar and assembly elections.

Census operations and elections depend on the same broad pool of government personnel, with teachers forming a major part of the workforce used for these duties. The usual second phase of the Census is conducted across the country in February, with 1 March as its reference date. Moving work in the 4 states earlier helps avoid that period coinciding with election preparations or polling.

Conclusion

The Census timetable changes point to assembly elections in the 5 states being organised in February-March 2027, with the Election Commission expected to complete voting before Manipur’s term ends on 13 March. The revised Census schedule is designed to ease the operational conflict between the 2 nationwide exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Which states may hold assembly elections in February-March 2027?

Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur may hold their assembly elections during that period.

Q. Which assembly term ends first?

Manipur’s assembly term ends first, on 13 March 2027.

Q. When does the Uttar Pradesh Assembly term end?

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s term ends on 22 May 2027.

Q. Why has the Census schedule been changed?

The changes are intended to avoid logistical difficulties caused by Census work and assembly elections relying on the same government employees, particularly teachers.

Q. What is the reference date for the early Census exercise?

The reference date for the population-enumeration phase scheduled between 1 December 2026 and 4 January 2027 is 5 January.

Q. Has SIR been completed in all 5 states?

No. SIR has been completed in 3 states and is continuing in the other 2. Final voter lists for Punjab and Uttarakhand are expected in the coming months.

Q. Could Uttar Pradesh voting take place in multiple phases?

Yes. Multiple phases are considered likely, although the total could be lower than in some earlier large-state elections. A 2-phase schedule could allow voting to begin in February or early March.