CHIEF ELECTION Commissioner N Gopalaswamy will arrive here on Wednesday to take stock of the preparations being made for the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections.
Much significance is being attached to the CEC’s visit to the State Capital as it comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s request to the Election Commission to hold the poll by February 2007. The CEC’s visit comes at a point when the chief minister has intensified his attacks on Governor TV Rajeswar for what CM calls sending a report to Centre recommending President’s rule in UP.
Significantly, the Raj Bhawan has maintained that it had sent no such report.
The Governor’s report only focuses on the recently concluded elections to urban local bodies and the prevailing law and order situation in the state, said a senior officer of Raj Bhawan.
Will the CEC give any indications about the likely poll dates? All eyes would be set on him for the observations he may make on the issue. Chief Secretary Naveen Chandra Bajpai may also meet the CEC to put forward the State Government’s point of view on election dates. As per programme the CEC proposes to hold meeting with divisional commissioners on Thursday.
Before meeting divisional commissioners the CEC also proposes to meet representatives of various political parties. The Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party and other political parties are likely to demand that EC should ensure free and fair Vidhan Sabha election. The political parties would apprise the CEC of the rigging that took place in the urban local bodies polls. UPCC chief spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh said the Congress would place all relevant facts before the CEC.
State BJP spokesman Hridaya Narain Dixit said free and fair elections were not possible during the tenure of Mulayam Singh Yadav government.
{{/usCountry}}State BJP spokesman Hridaya Narain Dixit said free and fair elections were not possible during the tenure of Mulayam Singh Yadav government.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the CEC on his part would review preparation of the electoral rolls.
The CEC would also review progress of preparations of photo identity cards.