The year 2017 will witness assembly elections in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa – with over 16 crore voters and 1.85 lakh polling stations across the five states, the chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi said while announcing the poll dates on Wednesday. Instructions for candidates and political parties were also laid out. The EC is committed to ensure strict and uniform compliance of all regulations.
 

•   The candidates will be required to fill an affidavit and file a no demand certificate which will come from public agencies dealing with electricity, water, phone and rent certificate of the government accommodation which the candidates have occupied for past ten years.
   
•   Candidates are required to affix photo on the nomination papers and declare Indian citizenship.

•   TV channels that are owned by political parties or candidates tend to carry out publicity for candidates ahead of the elections. A media monitoring committee will monitor these channels and the expenses will be counted. Press Council of India will help the commission in detection of paid news.

•    The limit of election expenses is set to Rs 28 lakhs for Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand and Rs 20 lakh for Goa and Manipur. There will be an elaborate expenditure monitoring including check on the use of black money and cash.

•    Candidates must open bank accounts and expenses above 20,000 have to be made by bank accounts. Donations above 20,000 have to be given in cheque or demand draft.

•   The expenses incurred for setting up bastas by candidates will be included in the election expenditure by candidates.

•   The EC will take all measures to provide protection to members of scheduled tribes and scheduled tribes.

•   A special operating procedure for the first and last 72 hours will take place. The first 72 hours will be checking of swift working of machinery and the last will be for preventing malpractices.

•   Central police force along with local police will be deployed in advance.

•     The EC further encouraged use of social media like Facebook.