EC sets wheels in motion for Delhi polls

NEWDELHI:The wheels have been set in motion for the assembly elections in Delhi, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday reviewing facilities and giving preparatory directions to state government departments ahead of a formal notification likely soon.

Officials from the state election office and government departments said the elections to the Capital were likely to be announced between January 7 and 12, and conducted within three to four weeks from the date of announcement. The term of the assembly, in which the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 67 of the 70 seats in 2015, ends on February 22, 2020.

“The final electoral rolls for the elections are to be published on January 6. The custom is that polls are announced only once that is frozen,” said a senior Delhi election office official who asked not to be named. “It is likely to be a single-phase affair,” he added.

An ECI official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The Delhi elections could be held any day between February 7 and 14. But it will be conducted before February 15 because CBSE [Central Board of Secondary Education] board exams for classes 10 and 12 will begin that day. During elections, schools are used for polling,” he said.

Before Thursday’s meeting, a similar stock-taking meeting was held on December 24, another ECI official said. “The idea is to discuss what needs to be done for smooth elections,” he said.