Polls in five states likely to be held on Nov 16, 17 and 27

The Election Commission is preparing to announce election dates for five state assemblies of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram possibly on Friday.

Sources in the commission said discussions for poll preparations with the top officials of states as well as union home ministry are over. Tentative dates drawn for the elections are -- November 16, 17 and 27.

The commission plans to hold one-day poll in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram but on separate dates to allow movement of security forces. There would be a two-phase polling in Chhattisgarh in view of the Maoists’ problem.

The second phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly polls is tentatively fixed to be held in the first week of December to have enough time for the counting of votes and declaration of results in all five states before December 12, when the term of the present Madhya Pradesh assembly ends.

The EC has also called a meeting of political parties for consultation on Thursday, before announcing the poll schedule.

An EC team is also visiting Mizoram on Wednesday to assess poll preparedness while it will review the final preparedness in Delhi with its chief electoral officer here on Thursday.

While the term of Delhi assembly expires on December 17, that of the Madhya Pradesh assembly ends on December 12. Mizoram assembly’s term expires on December 16, Rajasthan’s on December 31 and Chhattisgarh’s on January 4.

As part of preparations, the Election Commission has asked for 60,000 paramilitary personnel  to be deployed ahead of assembly elections in these states.