Election Commission inspects poll preparednes in Karnataka

Bangalore, Mar 20 (UNI) Amidst reports that elections to the dissolved Karnataka assembly would be held by May end, Central Deputy Election Commissioner R Bhattacharya completed his two-day review of poll preparedness here today.

He held lengthy meetings with Deputy Commissioners, who are also the district electoral officers, from all the districts in the state. Today he met DCs of Belgaum and Gulbarga revenue divisions and reviewed the work of delimitation of assembly constituencies and finalisation of electoral rolls.

He had completed the review the work done in Bangalore and Mysore divisions yesterday.

Mr Bhattacharya, who reviewed and acquainted himself with the election preparedness and had consultations with Intelligence police would submit his report it to Election Commissioner.

The full bench of the EC was likely to take to arrive to a decision and announce the dates in a day or two.

State Chief Electoral Officer R Rama Sheshan had announced earlier that the delimitation process in all the 224-assembly seats had been completed in a record two weeks.

The revised electoral list, which had also been finalised, consists of 3.98 crore voters now. The SCEO's office had deleted a whopping 52 lakhs names of 'excess voters' from the voters list and added names of as many as 20 lakhs new voters.

The EC had proceeded with the redrawing of the boundaries of assembly segments in accordance with the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission which was notified by the UPA government recently.

As the EC was bound by Constitution to hold election before the end of six month term of President's rule, it had taken up the delimitation work on fast track.

The term of President's rule would come to an end by May 28 and Election Commission was racing against time to hold elections to Karnataka assembly to install a popular government.

Congress in Karnataka had raised objections against Election Commission's attempt to hold elections before May end, alleging that the revision of electoral rolls was carried out in a hurried manner.

There had been summary deletion of a large number of genuine voters from the list, it had accused.

However the BJP and the JD(S) had urged the EC to take measures to hold elections without any further delay.

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