India
Uttar Pradesh Schools Shut for MLC Elections on October 23
By Akriti Anand
On Friday, October 23, schools in 73 of the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh will be closed. Classes from pre‑primary to Class 12 will not be held at all council, government, non‑government‑aided, and unaided schools, as well as at non‑government schools affiliated with CBSE, ICSE and other boards. The closure follows an order from the Election Commission, which declares a special holiday for the Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections. The BSA and District School Inspectors have forwarded instructions to schools on the orders of the District Election Officer, the District Magistrate.
The MLC elections will be held today for 11 seats. Voting centres are set up in 72 of the 75 districts, including Noida and Ghaziabad. Elections have already taken place in Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, and Unnao. Five Block Graduate seats and six Block Teacher seats will be contested. Voting starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. The graduate constituencies are Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi, and Allahabad‑Jhansi, while the teacher constituencies are Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi, Bareilly‑Moradabad, and Gorakhpur‑Faizabad. A total of 1.418 million voters will decide the outcome for 152 candidates.
Frequently asked questions
Why were schools closed on October 23 in Uttar Pradesh?
Because the Election Commission declared a special holiday for the Member of Legislative Council elections, and schools in 73 of 75 districts were ordered to close.
How many seats are being contested in the MLC elections on October 23?
Eleven seats are contested, including five Block Graduate seats and six Block Teacher seats.
When does voting start and end for the MLC elections?
Voting starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.