Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 13: The full Election Commission of India (ECI) is likely to meet in New Delhi next week to discuss strategy and preparations for forthcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and three other States. Detailed schedule and timing of the elections based on the reports of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all four States would be discussed in the meeting.
Top official sources told the Excelsior that the Election Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) VS Sampath and comprising two other Election Commissioners Harishankar Brahma and SNA Zaidi would hold detailed deliberations on the preparedness, schedule, ongoing summary revision and all other aspects of the elections in Jammu and Kashmir and three other States.
Sources said the Election Commission proposed to club as many States as possible in the elections, where Assembly elections were due by the year end but was finding it difficult to hold simultaneous polls in all four States as term of Haryana Assembly would expire in October while term of Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assemblies would expire in November and December respectively and that of Jammu and Kashmir in January.
The Government of India was yet to convey to the Election Commission on whether it proposed to hold fresh elections in New Delhi, where the Assembly is under suspended animation since January this year after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal resigned as the Chief Minister.
The Election Commission was likely to hold elections in Haryana in the end of September so that the new Assembly for 90 seats House is in place in first week of October while elections in three other States including Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Jharkhand could be clubbed and held in November-December.
Sources said if the Union Government takes a decision on holding Assembly elections in Delhi, they would be either clubbed with Haryana or with three other States.
“This would depend on the time when the Election Commission is conveyed the Government decision on holding fresh elections to Delhi Assembly if the previous Assembly is not to be revived,” sources said.
They added that the Election Commission of India would announce election schedule for Haryana this month while the similar announcement for three other States of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Jharkhand would be made in September.
According to sources, the full Election Commission was likely to review preparedness for elections and ongoing summary revision in three States of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Jharkhand in its full bench meeting next week.
The full Election Commission of India would also visit all four States for on spot assessment of election arrangements, meet civil and police administration apart from State Election Commission and District Electoral Officers and political parties.
It may be mentioned here that term of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is scheduled to expire on January 19, 2015 while the term of Jharkhand House would end on January 27. Maharashtra Assembly has its term till November 25 and Haryana till October 14. The new Assemblies had to be constitutes before expiry of the term.
The elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand would be held in November-December while in Maharashtra they would be held in October-November. The elections in Haryana could be held in September end. The elections in Delhi would depend on a decision taken by the Government whether to hold fresh polls or revive the Assembly.
Sources said if the Government of India takes a decision in favour of holding the Assembly elections, they would be either clubbed with Haryana or with J&K, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
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