The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday held a meeting with chief electoral officials (CEOs) of five poll bound States-Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttrakhand to assess the preparations for the upcoming Assembly polls.
After meeting with CEOs, the Commission may announce polling dates any day now. As of now, the Commission is planning to hold seven-phased Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and single-phased in the other states. But with situation in Manipur assuming alarming proportions, the poll body may go for multiple phases in the north-eastern state. But there is no official word on it.
Sources in the Commission said that CEOs of five poll bound states have made it clear that they are ready for polls and all necessary arrangements have been made. At the meeting, the assessment of the law and order situation, deployment of polling personnel, safety and electronic voting machines and strict implementation of the model code of conduct also came up for discussion. “The law and order situation in Manipur due to road blockade by some Naga groups was the focus of attention of the Commission in the meeting”, sources said. In its report to the EC, the Union Home Ministry has conveyed that ground situation in Manipur following the blockade of National Highway 2 by United Naga Council and the state Government’s alleged “failure” to resume normal traffic even after 60 days.
The Commission has directed Ministry of Home Affairs to relieve three IPS officials from Delhi who have been transferred to Goa. Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry will provide around 85,000 security personnel for deployment in the upcoming Assembly elections in the five States.