EC plans Gujarat polls in November

The Election Commission (EC) has drawn a tentative schedule for the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Though the tenure of both the assemblies ends in January 2013, sources in the EC said the polls had to be advanced keeping in view the severe winter in the upper reaches of Himachal which affects not only voting but also the logistics for polling.

The election schedule for the both the BJP-ruled states may be announced next week. According to the tentative schedule the EC, Himachal will see a one-day polling on November 13. The election process will be completed by November 25.

Sources in the EC said that while they were still discussing spacing the phases for Gujarat elections to allow the home ministry to move security forces, counting of votes would be held on November 25.

The EC has the power to hold polls up to six months ahead of the completion of an assembly’s tenure. The commission is, therefore, examining to advance the Karnataka assembly elections in February to club it with Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura whose terms are ending in March. The term of the Karnataka assembly ends in the first week of June 2013.

Political circles here are awaiting elections in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Mizoram. Though the terms of their assemblies end in December, 2013, the EC is making plans to hold all these polls together in November 2013, making it a sort of mini “general election” before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.