E-Paper
Top ECI officials to visit poll-bound Himachal, Gujarat
A nine-member Election Commission of India (ECI) team earlier reviewed poll readiness last week at a meeting with Gujarat’s chief electoral officer P Bharathi
Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar and commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey will arrive in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday for a three-day visit before travelling to Gujarat to assess the preparations for the assembly polls in the two states due later this year.
A nine-member Election Commission of India (ECI) team earlier reviewed poll readiness last week at a meeting with Gujarat’s chief electoral officer P Bharathi. District election officials, commissioners, and police superintendents also attended the meeting and discussed electoral roll revision, transportation, security, training, etc.
The tenures of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat assemblies will end on January 8 and February 23. The elections are expected by the end of this year. In 2017, Himachal Pradesh went to polls on November 9, while Gujarat in two phases on December 9 and 14.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been in power in Gujarat since 1998. Aam Aadmi Party has sought to make inroads into the state ahead of the assembly polls as part of its efforts to expand its base beyond its strongholds of Punjab and Delhi. The BJP returned to power in Himachal defeating the Congress in 2017.
