EC looking at single phase poll in 4 states in end-Nov

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission, which on Thursday and Friday assessed poll preparedness in five states due for assembly polls later this year, is looking at a single-day election across Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram in the last week of November. However, Chhattisgarh may have a two-phased poll, with the second round spilling over to early December.

According to EC sources, the full Commission held meetings with chief electoral officers of the five states over the past two days, discussing the status of electoral rolls, mobilization of poll machinery, readiness of electronic voting machines (EVMs), climatic factors and security concerns, particularly in Naxal-hit Chhattisgarh. "According to the feedback given by the CEOs, all the pre-poll processes are on course," a Nirvachan Sadan official told TOI.

The assembly poll announcement is expected sometime in October.

With the recent Maoist attack on a Congress convoy in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, which killed senior party leaders from the state like Mahendra Karma, Nandkumar Patel and V C Shukla, aggravating security concerns regarding polls in Naxal-hit zones, the EC is contemplating staggered elections in the state. Sources said there may be a separate phase of polling for the nearly 15 Naxal-affected constituencies in early December. "This will help maximize force deployment in the violence-prone areas. After completing the first phase across four states and north Chhattisgarh, all the forces may be moved to south Bastar for the second phase," said a senior EC functionary.

The Commission is planning to introduce the new-age EVM, complete with the voter verifiable paper trail, in these assembly polls. Polling may be held in a small constituency of Mizoram using the new EVMs, said EC sources.

While the tenure of the Delhi assembly is expiring on December 17, the term of the Madhya Pradesh assembly ends on December 12. Mizoram assembly's term expires on December 16, Rajasthan (December 31) and Chhattisgarh (January 4).

~ Times of India
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