Election Commission to visit UP from Feb 28

Lucknow, Feb 24 (UNI) Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy, along with the two other commissioners will pay a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh from February 28 to oversee the law and order situation and other issues for holding free and fair seven phase poll in April-May.

According to sources, the CEC will be accompanied by Election Commissioners Navin Chawla and S Y Qureshi and will stay in the state capital on February 28 and March 1.

During their visit, the CEC will meet the state and district officials to issue clear directives before the poll.

Mr Gopalaswamy will also meet the representatives of political parties to take their views for holding free and fair poll.

The EC will take the stock of progress in the Election Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) and queries about the irregularities, if any, in the electoral roll.

Sources said law and order will be the main agenda before the commission during this visit.

The CEC will also take in consideration, the report of 21 special observers, who will be camping in UP betwen February 25 to 28 to review EPIC work and take stock of the general law and order situation.

EC had announced seven phase polling for the UP assembly on February 21. The poll process will begin on March 13 with the notification for the first phase, while it will end in mid May after counting of votes to be taken up on May 11 for all the 403 assembly seats.

UNI