Assembly elections: Five states, 690 seats, results on March 11

The Election Commission announced assembly polls in five states Wednesday, setting the stage for what is being widely described as the first big test for the ruling BJP since the government’s ban on Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes. Voting for Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur will be held over phases from February 4 to March 8. UP, the largest of the five states with 403 seats, will vote in seven phases from February 11 to March 8. Manipur will vote in two phases in March while the remaining three states will hold elections in a single phase.