Uttarakhand’s fifth Vidhan Sabha, elected in February 2022, reaches the end of its term in March 2027. The 70-member assembly will be elected alongside — or close to — Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa and Manipur, though the Election Commission has yet to announce dates.
Uttarakhand at a glance
- Seats: 70 (majority: 36)
- Reserved: 13 for Scheduled Castes, 2 for Scheduled Tribes
- Term ends: March 2027
- Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami (BJP), since July 2021
- Leader of the Opposition: Yashpal Arya (Congress)
A state that always changed hands — until 2022
Since Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000, its voters had removed the ruling party at every election. The 2022 vote broke that run.
| Election | Party that formed the government |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Congress |
| 2007 | BJP |
| 2012 | Congress |
| 2017 | BJP (57 seats) |
| 2022 | BJP (47 seats) — first party to be re-elected |
The 2022 election, held in a single phase on 14 February, gave the BJP 47 seats, the Congress 19, the Bahujan Samaj Party 2 and independents 2. Pushkar Singh Dhami, who had become Chief Minister eight months earlier, lost his own seat of Khatima but was chosen to continue as Chief Minister. He returned to the assembly by winning the Champawat by-election in 2022.
The house today
By-elections during the term have shifted a few seats. The assembly’s current composition is:
| Party | 2022 result | Current strength |
|---|---|---|
| BJP | 47 | 47 |
| Congress | 19 | 20 |
| BSP | 2 | 1 |
| Independents | 2 | 2 |
Garhwal and Kumaon
The state’s two administrative divisions are also its two political regions.
| Division | Seats | Districts (seats) |
|---|---|---|
| Garhwal | 41 | Haridwar (11), Dehradun (10), Pauri (6), Tehri (6), Chamoli (3), Uttarkashi (3), Rudraprayag (2) |
| Kumaon | 29 | Udham Singh Nagar (9), Nainital (6), Almora (6), Pithoragarh (4), Bageshwar (2), Champawat (2) |
The plains districts — Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar — hold 30 of the 70 seats between them. Hill constituencies are smaller in population, spread across difficult terrain, and have seen steady out-migration, which shows up in lower turnout in some areas.
Issues in the background
- Uniform Civil Code: Uttarakhand became the first state to adopt a Uniform Civil Code after Independence. The assembly passed the bill in February 2024, and it came into force in January 2025.
- Migration from the hills and the viability of remote villages.
- Disaster risk and infrastructure: landslides, land subsidence and the char dham road network.
- Jobs and recruitment exams, a recurring concern among young voters.
Preparations so far
A team of senior Election Commission officials, led by deputy election commissioners, visited Dehradun on 13 October 2026 to review preparations with the state administration and police. It was the first of several visits; the full Commission is expected to follow before dates are announced.
The state is part of the Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls. Draft rolls come out on 12 November, and claims and objections are accepted until 11 December. The final roll is due on 4 January 2027. How to check your name and file Form 6 or Form 8.
On 27 October the Commission ordered the usual pre-election transfers of officers posted in their home districts or with long tenures in one district.
Weather and the calendar
Winter matters in Uttarakhand. Many polling stations in the upper reaches of Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh are hard to reach in January and February. In 2022 the state voted on 14 February in a single phase. The Commission takes snowfall and access into account when it fixes dates, and the national Census also follows a separate, earlier timetable in snow-bound areas.
Beyond the state
- Uttarakhand’s MLAs elect 3 Rajya Sabha members.
- Each MLA’s vote in the 2027 presidential election is worth 64.
- The state has 5 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Follow Uttarakhand Election 2027 for updates.
