EC team to review poll preparations in HP

Shimla, Oct 14 (UNI) A team of Election Commission is arriving here on Tuesday for reviewing the preparations for Himachal Pradesh assembly elections that are to be held in two-phases on November 14 and December 19, official sources said.

The team comprising Chief Election Commissioner M. Gopalaswamy and two other members, a deputy election and an advisor would review preparations for the elections besides meeting representatives of the parties during their stay here.

The sources said the visit was part of the EC's effort to ensure that the free and fair polls were held in the state.

Meanwhile, Congress party sources said its leaders were discussing the commission's decision to hold early assembly eelctions in the state with party high command.

Party incharge R K Dhawan has told Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and party president Viplove Thakur to provide him with details of submissions made by the government and party pertaining to the issue after the plea for simultaneous polls in tribal area was filed in the High Court.

The Chief Minister who returned here from Delhi today for some personal engagement was likely to leave for Delhi tomorrow with some supporting documents to put up a case before Mr Dhawan.

''The high command will take a decision on this after studying all the details,'' a senior Congress leader close to chief minister, on condition of anonymity told UNI