The possibility of early assembly election gains ground in Uttar Pradesh with the Election Commission of India saying that it is not averse to examine the suggestions made by two political parties for holding the election in the month of February.
This was announced by chief election commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi here on Thursday at a press conference held after a two-day interactive session by the commission with government functionaries and political representatives in connection with the poll-preparedness in the state. The Mayawati government is due to complete its tenure on May 13, 2012.
“We have received suggestion for holding the assembly poll in February instead of March or April by two political parties,” the CEC said, adding that a final decision on the issue would be taken by the commission after completing its visit of other states, due to go to the poll in 2012. Besides, UP, the other states, which would face elections in 2012, are Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Goa and Gujarat.
Without disclosing the names of political parties, the CEC said that the commission had taken note of their suggestions for early poll, as the demand to this effect was based on the fact that March and April are hectic time. “Students remain busy with their examinations, and farmers in their fields. Apart from this, the political parties were also of the view that weather conditions get oppressive due to summer in these months,” the CEC said.
All these issues, he said, would be examined with an open mind and any decision in this regard would be taken in totality of the all the states going to the poll in early 2012.
Full Article: Election Commission gets proposal to hold2012 UP polls in February – The Times of India.