Polls to seven RS seats in J&K, Kerala on Feb 13

New Delhi: The Election Commission will hold biennial elections on February 13 to seven Rajya Sabha seats, including those held by Union Ministers Vayalar Ravi and Saif-ud-Din Soz as also National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.

Elections would be held for four seats in Jammu and Kashmir and three in Kerala. Besides the seats held by Soz and Abdullah, two other seats became vacant in J&K following retirement of S Tarlok Singh and Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam in November last.

Elections to these four seats could not be held earlier due to non-existence of Assembly in the state. Assembly polls in the state were completed last month.

Besides Ravi, the tenure of Teennala G Balakrishna Pillai (Congress) and K Chandran Pillai (CPI-M) in Kerala was to expire on April next.

According to the schedule announced by the EC, the notifications would be issued on January 27.

Last date for making nominations would be on February 3 and the scrutiny would take place the following day. Last date for withdrawal of candidature would be on February 6.

Counting of votes would take place in the evening on February 13, the day of polling.
Source: www.mid-day.com

EC announces assembly poll dates for five states

NEW DELHI: Delhi will go to polls on November 29. The Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for assembly polls for Delhi and four other states but left out Jammu and Kashmir for what sources insisted on calling logistical reasons.

The schedule for what is being seen as an electoral semi-final before the next Lok Sabha polls will see Mizoram going to polls along with Delhi on November 29, Madhya Pradesh on November 25, Rajasthan on December 4 and Chhattisgarh in two phases, on November 14 and 20.

Election results in all states will be declared on December 8.

While final roll of voters has been published in four states, it will be published on October 15 in Delhi. For the first time, photo electoral rolls will be used in these states and voters will be identified through their photo identity cards.

More than 15 crore voters will exercise their franchise in this election which is not seen as a bellwether Congress-BJP match up, but can yet set the tone for the main showdown in the Lok Sabha elections.

Three of the poll-bound states — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh — are ruled by BJP and Congress's success in unseating the saffron rival will help it erase the psychological deficit it accumulated because of a string of losses. Conversely, BJP, which hopes to exploit Congress's incumbency in Delhi by tapping into unease over inflation and terror, will appear the favourite for the LS polls if it manages to hold on to the states where it is in power.

The deferment of the announcement for J&K polls was vociferously protested by the BJP which hopes to make gains at Congress's expense in the Jammu area after the communal polarization over the Amarnath issue.

In Chhattisgarh, a two-phased poll has been planned to deal with possible violence by Naxals. The EC especially fears that there could be renewed attacks on supporters of Salwa Judum.

Apart from 650 observers who will keep a close watch, EC has also decided to deploy micro-observers in select constituencies. They will be appointed from among central government/PSU officials available locally. The micro-observers, working directly under the general observer, will be stationed at specific polling locations from where they can keep a close watch on one or more polling stations.

While issuing mandatory order for transfer of officials who have been in one district for more than three years and no-posting in home district, EC has also asked district election officers to prepare a comprehensive plan, including communication strategy which will cover resources such as landlines, mobile phones, wireless sets, satellite phones etc. State chief electoral officers have been asked to open helplines and control rooms in each assembly constituency.

Asking central government, state governments, candidates and political parties to observe the model code of conduct, EC has drawn their attention to the provision that no appeal to caste or communal feelings can be made for securing votes. Also, mosques, churches, temples or other places of worship should not be used for election propaganda.

Soruce: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/EC_announces_assembly_poll_dates_for_five_states/articleshow/3593841.cms