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LS elections likely to be held in 4 phases: EC
New Delhi, Feb 20: Clear indications emerged on Friday that the Lok Sabha elections will be held in four phases starting mid-April to conclude by early May.
New Delhi, Feb 20: Clear indications emerged on Friday that the Lok Sabha elections will be held in four phases starting mid-April to conclude by early May.
The likely dates on which the phased polls are to be held are April 17, 18 and May 8 and 9, BJP General Secretary Pramod Mahajan told reporters quoting the Election Commission after an all-party meeting convened by it to discuss various issues.
After the meeting, EC spokesman A N Jha said "broadly it (polling) will be in four phases" but declined to give the actual dates. About the poll schedule, he said at the "appropriate time" the Commission would make public "such a critical announcement".
At the meeting virtually all the parties sought one day polling in States except in Uttar Pradesh considering its size and that polling should not be held on the days India plays cricket matches against Pakistan.
Mahajan said the Commission pleaded its helplessness in giving any assurance since the cricket matches have still not been finalised.
Jha said the election schedule would be announced after taking into account factors like board examinations, festivals, weather conditions and the harvesting season.
Asked whether Karnataka, where the Government has recommended dissolution of the Assembly on Monday, would have sumultaneous polls, Jha said the State Government had already informed its intention for the dissolution of the Assembly and "obviously there will be simultaneous polls. We have taken that also into account".
Jha said that the EC would use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the Lok Sabha as well as the Assembly polls where they were going to be held simultaneously and would deploy 10.75 lakh EVMs for the purpose.
The Commission, which has also held consultations with state Chief Secretaries, Directors General of Police and Chief Electoral Officers as well as the Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal, would work out the requirement of security forces for ensuring free and fair polls.
To the strong exception taken by the opposition parties at the meeting to the 'India Shining' advertisements in newspapers, Jha said the Commission clarifed that the Model Code of Conduct would come into force only when the poll dates were announced.
"The Chief Election Commissioner has already made it clear that the Model Code of Conduct will come into force on the date the election schedule is announced," he said.
On the suggestion made by the political parties for a one-day polling in states, Jha said "the Commission will keep best possible alternatives in mind. Movement of security personnel has to be worked out to ensure peaceful polling".
Jha said some parties complained that there were certain drawbacks in the electoral rolls and they said no eligible voter should be deprived of his or her voting rights if they did not possess the photo-identity card.
At the meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy, leaders of different political parties made a strong case for polling on a single day in all states, except Uttar Pradesh, considering its vastness.
The EC's clarification on the Model Code virtually came as a boon to the BJP which is under attack from the Opposition for the ad-blitz with party General Secretaries Pramod Mahajan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi saying BJP was thankful to the Commission for its clarification.
Mahajan made a point that if the elections were held in four phases, notifications should be in as many phases.
He said the Commission should take special care to ensure that ruling parties in states did not take undue advantage of the state government employees drafted for polling duty.
Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee was of the view that the Model Code of Conduct should come into force automatically from the date when the Lok Sabha is dissolved and not from the date of announcement of polls.
"If not for the coming Lok Sabha elections, at least for the future the Election Commission should evolve guidelines on this, " he told reporters.
TDP leader K Yerran Naidu wanted a two phase polling in naxal-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh as naxalites were trying to subvert the free and fair polls in the state.
Ramgopal Verma (SP) said that his party suggested that the elections in Uttar Pradesh should be in first week of May in view of Kumbh Mela. He said that the certificates issued by Gram Panchayat Pradhans should be considered for the identification of voters.
Laloo Prasad Yadav (RJD) said as in the Panchayat polls, Ward Commissioners' certificate should be treated as identification for an elector and suggested separate queues for women voters.
JD(U) leader and Union Minister Sharad Yadav, CPI(M) leaders S R Pillai and Hari Singh Kang, CPI leader D Raja, Pitambhar Master (NCP), Abani Roy (RSP), Viduthalai Virumbi (DMK), Shibu Soren (JMM), Bhim Singh (Panther's Party) and Satish Mishra (BSP) attended the meeting.
Bureau Report
After the meeting, EC spokesman A N Jha said "broadly it (polling) will be in four phases" but declined to give the actual dates. About the poll schedule, he said at the "appropriate time" the Commission would make public "such a critical announcement".
At the meeting virtually all the parties sought one day polling in States except in Uttar Pradesh considering its size and that polling should not be held on the days India plays cricket matches against Pakistan.
Mahajan said the Commission pleaded its helplessness in giving any assurance since the cricket matches have still not been finalised.
Jha said the election schedule would be announced after taking into account factors like board examinations, festivals, weather conditions and the harvesting season.
Asked whether Karnataka, where the Government has recommended dissolution of the Assembly on Monday, would have sumultaneous polls, Jha said the State Government had already informed its intention for the dissolution of the Assembly and "obviously there will be simultaneous polls. We have taken that also into account".
Jha said that the EC would use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the Lok Sabha as well as the Assembly polls where they were going to be held simultaneously and would deploy 10.75 lakh EVMs for the purpose.
The Commission, which has also held consultations with state Chief Secretaries, Directors General of Police and Chief Electoral Officers as well as the Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal, would work out the requirement of security forces for ensuring free and fair polls.
To the strong exception taken by the opposition parties at the meeting to the 'India Shining' advertisements in newspapers, Jha said the Commission clarifed that the Model Code of Conduct would come into force only when the poll dates were announced.
"The Chief Election Commissioner has already made it clear that the Model Code of Conduct will come into force on the date the election schedule is announced," he said.
On the suggestion made by the political parties for a one-day polling in states, Jha said "the Commission will keep best possible alternatives in mind. Movement of security personnel has to be worked out to ensure peaceful polling".
Jha said some parties complained that there were certain drawbacks in the electoral rolls and they said no eligible voter should be deprived of his or her voting rights if they did not possess the photo-identity card.
At the meeting, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy, leaders of different political parties made a strong case for polling on a single day in all states, except Uttar Pradesh, considering its vastness.
The EC's clarification on the Model Code virtually came as a boon to the BJP which is under attack from the Opposition for the ad-blitz with party General Secretaries Pramod Mahajan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi saying BJP was thankful to the Commission for its clarification.
Mahajan made a point that if the elections were held in four phases, notifications should be in as many phases.
He said the Commission should take special care to ensure that ruling parties in states did not take undue advantage of the state government employees drafted for polling duty.
Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee was of the view that the Model Code of Conduct should come into force automatically from the date when the Lok Sabha is dissolved and not from the date of announcement of polls.
"If not for the coming Lok Sabha elections, at least for the future the Election Commission should evolve guidelines on this, " he told reporters.
TDP leader K Yerran Naidu wanted a two phase polling in naxal-affected areas of Andhra Pradesh as naxalites were trying to subvert the free and fair polls in the state.
Ramgopal Verma (SP) said that his party suggested that the elections in Uttar Pradesh should be in first week of May in view of Kumbh Mela. He said that the certificates issued by Gram Panchayat Pradhans should be considered for the identification of voters.
Laloo Prasad Yadav (RJD) said as in the Panchayat polls, Ward Commissioners' certificate should be treated as identification for an elector and suggested separate queues for women voters.
JD(U) leader and Union Minister Sharad Yadav, CPI(M) leaders S R Pillai and Hari Singh Kang, CPI leader D Raja, Pitambhar Master (NCP), Abani Roy (RSP), Viduthalai Virumbi (DMK), Shibu Soren (JMM), Bhim Singh (Panther's Party) and Satish Mishra (BSP) attended the meeting.
Bureau Report