With the work on covering the statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and the elephants (BSP's party symbol) in Lucknow and Noida having been completed on Wednesday, the poll process to elect the next government gets under way on Thursday when filing of nominations begins for the rescheduled first phase. To be held on February 8, the first phase will see elections to 55 Assembly constituencies.
The Election Commission has also transferred the magistrates of five districts and changed seven district police chiefs and the DIG, Range of Basti.
The elephantine work of draping the statues installed in the parks and memorials in Lucknow and Noida continued through the night on Tuesday with the district administration racing against time to meet the January 11 deadline given by the Election Commission. The deadline expired at 5 p.m. Chief Electoral Officer of the State Umesh Sinha confirmed that the work had been completed. Mr. Sinha said the compliance report in writing had not been received by the Commission but it had been orally informed by the district magistrates-cum-returning officers of Lucknow and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) about the job being done.
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A temporary scaffolding was built around the life-size statue of Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati at the Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal in Gomtinagar in the State capital before it was draped. Officials said that the work continued despite the chilly weather. Tarpaulin sheet was used to hide the statues of the elephants, and cloth for those of the BSP president.