All five together

India does not have an election-less year. With 28 States and seven Union Territories, the world's largest democracy hurtles from one Assembly election to another. In 2012, over a period of three months beginning January, five States — Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Goa — will go to the polls. Five years ago, elections to these States were held during three separate periods: Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand in February; Uttar Pradesh in April-May; and Goa in June. Unlike in 2007, this time the schedules for all five States were announced on the same day, and a common date, March 4, was fixed for counting the votes. 

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