EC might relax deadline for voters' list publication

Lucknow, Dec 20 (UNI) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswamy while expressing displeasure over delay in preparing election photo identity cards, here today indicated the deadline for publication of voters' list could be extended in select districts following request by the government.

Talking to UNI after holding a review meeting of Lucknow Division for poll readiness, Mr Gopalaswami said the process of preparing election photo identity cards (EPICs) was slow. ''Forty per cent of the work is pending,'' he said.

On the demand for relaxation of the January 3 deadline by some districts including the state capital, Mr Gopalaswamy said that EC might give a few days time to select districts to complete their schedule.

''EC is committed to publish the revised electoral rolls in the state on January 3 but as some districts have given relevent reasons for not fulfilling the deadline they can be given some more days,'' he added.

Sources privy to the review meetings by election commission officials in Uttar Pradesh said other divisions too had sought additional time for publication of voters' list.

Soon after CEC N Gopalaswami held a review meeting of the Lucknow division here, Divisional Commissioner R K Mittal told mediapersons that he had sought an additional week from the CEC for publication of the list. Minutes before, the CEC had told UNI that the work on the publication of voters' list would be ready by January 3, next year.

''We have sought time till January 10...he said he would think about it. Even if he does not agree, the list could be readied by January three,'' he added.

Lucknow division consists of Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Unnao and Sitapur districts. Later, the CEC reviewed the election preparedness of Kanpur division here.

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