Chief Election Commissioner V.S. Sampath on Sunday said the Election Commission of India (ECI) would consider holding Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu on a single day.
After holding a meeting with State Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar and Chennai Corporation Commissioner and District Election Officer Vikram Kapur to review the preparedness of official machinery for the Lok Sabha elections here, Mr. Sampath said, “As per the request of the political parties in Tamil Nadu, the election can be held over a single day in the State.”
The State had seen single phase Lok Sabha polls in 2004 and 2009.
Hinting that the ECI would announce the schedule soon, Mr. Sampath said, “The date of poll announcement cannot be disclosed at present. The schedule will be known only after conclusion of the consultation meetings in fifteen days time.”
MeetingsOn Monday, the ECI will hold a meeting of Chief Electoral Officers in New Delhi to assess poll preparedness across the country, and a meeting with Chief Secretaries and DGPs on February 20.
Later, the ECI will consult Railway Board Chairman and secretaries of Union Ministries.
“The new Lok Sabha should be in place before by June first week,” he added.
Assembly pollsMr. Sampath said the ECI would also conduct Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.
Pointing out that the distribution of the elector’s photo identity cards was complete in almost all constituencies in the State, he said other documents would not be necessary for identity proof.
Asked about the petition of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam against the continuance of Tamil Nadu Director General of Police K. Ramanujam in his post, Mr. Sampath said the Commission was collecting information.
