Local body elections will be held in Uttar Pradesh in three phases – on November 22, November 26 and November 29. The State Election Commission on Friday said that the votes will be counted on December 1.

With the announcement of the poll dates, the Model Code of Conduct is now in effect in the state. There are 16 municipal corporations, 198 municipal boards and 439 nagar panchayats in Uttar Pradesh.

Around 30 million voters are eligible to vote in the local body polls for more than 650 posts. The Adityanath-led government had recently constituted the Ayodhya Nagar Nigam and Mathura-Vrindavan Nagar Nigam municipal corporations.

In 2012, the Bharatiya Janata Party had won 10 of the 12 mayoral posts, but only 42 municipal boards chairperson seat and 36 in nagar panchayats.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath will address public gatherings in all 16 municipal corporations, The Indian Express reported, quoting unidentified BJP leaders. “With 312 MLAs of its own, the BJP has asked its legislators from urban areas to focus on local body polls and highlight the work of the state and central governments. MPs will also canvass,” a party leader told The Indian Express.