M A I N   N E W S

5 states may go to polls in May
EC leaves for West Bengal today
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Jan 10 — The Election Commission (EC) today hinted at the possibility of simultaneous elections to Assemblies in five states before the third week of May.

“We are very much focused. There are going to be elections before the third week of May,” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) M.S. gill told reporters when asked about the likely dates for Assembly elections in the five states.

While the tenure of the Assemblies in Tamil Nadu and Kerala end on May 21 and 28, respectively, the term of the West Bengal and Pondicherry Assemblies expires on June 9 and that of Assam on June 11.

Asked whether there would be simultaneous elections in the five states, he said the commission had in the past tried to hold elections together since the outcome of one Assembly election would have a bearing on another.

The commission, he said, had maintained the practice of holding Assembly elections two weeks ahead of the expiry of the tenure to enable the new government to assume office well in time.

Maintaining that the commission would be extensively using electronic voting machines (EVMS) during the coming poll in view of their success in previous elections, he said the commission had asked two public sector units in Bangalore and Hyderabad to expedite delivery of 1.5 lakh new EVMS being manufactured at the cost of Rs 150 crore.

The CEC made it clear that though close watch was being kept on the law and order situation in West Bengal, it could play a role regarding the same only when the elections process was set in motion there.

“These days I closely go through the reports appearing in newspapers (about violence in West Bengal). But at the moment, whatever these matters are, they lie constitutionally in other domains... There is a state government. There is a national government and other authorities of the state,” Dr Gill said.

His reaction came after an NDA delegation, which visited the violence-hit areas of Midnapore district of West Bengal, demanded that the Election Commission should take steps “right now” to ensure free and fair elections in the state.

“The commission’s role comes only at the time when we enter into the election process, he said.

The Election Commissioner, Mr T.S. Krishnamurthy, would leave for West Bengal tomorrow to review the poll preparedness in the state, Dr Gill said.