CEC to take stock of Goa poll preparations next week

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi would be reviewing preparations for the Goa Assembly elections due next year. "CEC Zaidi and two Election Commissioners (ECs) Achal Kumar Jyoti and Om Prakash Rawat would be visiting the state next week," a senior official from Chief Electoral Office said on Tuesday.

"The exact date of their visit is yet to be finalised, however, another team of CEC officials will be arriving on December 12 to check out the logistic preparations," he said.

The official on condition of anonymity said that the dates for holding polls in Goa are yet to be finalised. "They would be decided considering public holidays, festivals and school and college examinations which are to be held between December-March next year. The entire list is currently being compiled by Chief Electoral Office (CEO)," he said.

"This list would be taken into account before arriving at a date to conduct polls in Goa," he added. The HSSC exams are scheduled to begin from March 1 while SSC exams will commence from April 1, 2017.

The state will be on Christmas vacation from December 24 to January 1. Goa will be going for polls along with four other states early next year.