EC gearing up for mid-April poll

With the Union Cabinet recommending dissolution of the Lok Sabha on February 6, the Election Commission is gearing up for mid-April general election.

Also Read PM seeks Feb 6 dissolution of LS

The commission is keen to see that the annual school examinations are not affected in any manner by the election. In some places the examinations end early April.

The EC is also of the opinion that electoral rolls should be in "reasonably perfect" shape before the election process is set in motion.

The revision of electoral rolls is currently on in all states, except in Andhra Pradesh, where the final rolls are ready.

EC sources said the final publication of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh is scheduled for March 20.

Just a little over a month is required for completion of polls from the date of announcement of the poll schedule. This
includes mandatory 21 days gap between the issuance of notification and the actual polling.

Presuming that the schedule is announced by the end of February, the elections could take place in mid-April.

The term of the 13th Lok Sabha ends on October 19, 2004.

The three-member poll panel, which will witness a change of guard with T S Krishna Murthy taking over as the chief election commissioner from J M Lyngdoh on February 7, has convened a meeting of chief electoral officers of all states and Union territories on February 4.

Before finalising the poll schedule, the commission will discuss with the Union home secretary the deployment of central para-military forces for poll duty.