NE poll schedule to be announced this week

The term of the present assemblies in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura will expire on March 10, 13 and 19 respectively.

The Election Commission is expected to announce this week the schedule for assembly polls in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura, marking the beginning of a series of electoral exercises in ten states during the year.

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The term of the present assemblies in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura will expire on March 10, 13 and 19 respectively.

Assembly polls in Karnataka will follow closely as they have to be held by May but there is still lack of clarity on whether they would be held as per the existing arrangement or on the redrawn constituencies.

Sources say that it would be difficult for the Election Commission to hold elections in Karnataka as per the delimited constituencies unless President's rule is extended briefly in the state.

EC officials said they would require a minimum of three months time to prepare the electoral rolls as per the redrawn constituencies in Karnataka.

The Union Cabinet last week decided to defer the delimitation exercise in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Jharkhand through an Ordinance amending the Delimitation Act 2002. EC officials, however, said the delimitation work in Jharkhand had already been completed.