Don’t have machinery for simultaneous polls: EC

Mumbai: Although the BJP is mulling holding the Lok Sabha (LS) and Assembly polls of a few states together in December 2018, senior officers of the election commission of India (ECI) have ruled out the possibility citing lack of machinery and other requirements. The EC said that while they were considering conducting the LS and Assembly elections together in December this year in the four states of MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, the same was not possible in Maharashtra. Sources cleared that it would be possible to hold Assembly elections together with LS elections only in May 2019.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah are in favour of LS and Assembly polls of a few states together. Mr Shah had discussed the issue with chief ministers and deputy chief mnisters of the BJP-ruled states as well.

But as far as the ECI is concerned, holding simultaneous such polls may not be possible in Maharashtra. Senior officers cleared that conducting LS and Assembly polls in December this year was impossible for a few reasons. As per constitutional provisions, preparations in the four states had already begun before six months of the expiry of Assemblies. Now, final voter lists were ready in these states. But in Maharashtra, the process of updating voter lists, which is the primary issue, is underway.

The voter who completes 18 years on January 1, 2019, will be eligible for voting and ECI has started the process of adding such voters after receiving applications. Now, new voters cannot be deprived of their right to vote by holding elections in December. At least more than 90 days' are required for the election process which is not possible if elections are held in December, said officers.