Assembly polls in 4 states before Mar 17, 2007: CEC

Dehra Dun, Aug 26: The assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab and Manipur will be held before March 17 next year, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy said today.

Briefing mediapersons after a meeting with Uttaranchal Chief Election Commissioner N Ravishankar and the District Magistrates here, Mr Gopalaswamy said in the elections the communication system would be enhanced and extra polling booths set up in places where more than 1500 voters were likely to cast their votes.

He said the State Election Commission had been urged to complete its preparations before December 31 this year.

Expressing his discontent over issuance of photo identity cards, he said in some places only 50 per cent and in others 30 per cent work in that regard had been completed. Instructions had been passed on to issue Photo Identity Cards to every adult by December 31.

The CEC instructed the authorities to prepare the list of people who might attain the age of 18 by January 1 next year so as to enable them to cast their votes in the elections.

UNI