LS polls not likely before April 20

Despite the BJP’s best efforts, Lok Sabha elections are unlikely to be held before the third week of April. The Election Commission, wh...

Despite the BJP’s best efforts, Lok Sabha elections are unlikely to be held before the third week of April. The Election Commission, which is preparing to hold the polls in four phases, has indicated that the election apparatus, including revised electoral rolls and electronic voting machines (EVM), will not be ready before April 20.

Taking into account the three weeks required for notification of the polls followed by the filing of nominations, scrutiny of the papers and campaign time, the EC clearly needs time. The entire process — from the announcement of dates to the declaration of results — is likely to stretch till May 11.

The EC will hold its first meeting to schedule the polls tomorrow. After taking stock of the state-wise poll preparedness with state Chief Election Officers, the Commission is expected to draw up a tentative schedule. The dates are expected to be fixed on February 9, when the new poll panel — T.S. Krishnamurthy, B.B. Tandon and N. Gopalaswami — will hold a meeting of the Commission.

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Though the blue-print of security deployment has been put in place by Gopalaswami (at present Secretary, Home Affairs), the delay is due the electoral roll revision.

The last of the revised voting lists in Uttar Pradesh is going to be ready on March 20. ‘‘After that the Commission will provide the publicised rolls to the parties,’’ EC sources said.

Sources added that the four-stage polling is likely to be on April 20, 23, 28 and May 4. They said the EC has informally communicated the tentative dates to the Prime Minister’s Office. It is also meeting parties to know their opinion on suitable poll dates.

Sources added that the time-frame for the polls is influenced by several factors. It should not clash with CBSE and other examinations — the Left-RJD-BSP delegation which met the EC today emphasised on that. Another factor is the pressure of conducting simultaneous polls in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Karnataka and perhaps also in Haryana and Maharashtra.

The police said the trio from Chandigarh — Rohan (21), Sumit (22), and Mohit (19) — were dhol players by profession and had procured the weapons due to an old rivalry with local residents.

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