No final call on poll dates yet: CEC
PTI, PANAJI | 16 December 2011 20:35 IST
The Central Election Commission today made clear that the election dates for the five poll-bound states, which are due next year, are yet to be decided.
The Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi told reporters here that the dates would be announced after having negotiations, deliberations and discussion on various aspects concerning these states.
Five states Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Goa, will go for polls next year. Quraishi said that the Commission has completed the tour of all these poll-bound states.
"We have completed our tours and taken suggestions on the conduct of the polls. Over the next few days, we will sit together, negotiate and discuss on various points," he said.
The Election Commission is taking into consideration aspects like examinations, festivals, agricultural season as also the availability of central forces, before announcing the dates.
Quraishi said that elections for all the five states are likely to be held together.
"But we are yet to take a final call on it," he told reporters.
The Commission members today held a series of meetings with Goa's political parties, police, bureaucracy and election officials to check the preparedness for the polls.
Following the meetings, Quraishi said that Goa is set to go for the polls.
It would be interesting to see the misuse of money and muscle power being rampantly used to win the elections even when the elections are not announced officially...