Why the announcement on MCD polls dates delayed? Here's what EC says

New Delhi, Mar 9: The dates for conducting elections for the three municipal corporations in Delhi is likely to be announced in the next few days, poll authorities said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference, State Election Commissioner (SEC) of Delhi, S K Srivastava, said that he received some communication from the central government at 4.30 PM on Wednesday. Hence, the dates were not being announced.

"As central government raised few issues that are yet to be legally examined by us, we'll not be able to announce MCD election dates as of now. We'll take some more days. We've to conduct the elections before 18th May," the State Election Commissioner.

Earlier, he was scheduled to announce the dates during the press conference at 5 PM. "We were about to announce the dates, but now it will take another 5-7 days to announce them," he added.

"We aren't postponing the elections. If at all unification of municipal corporations take place before 18th May, then we have to examine the situation. That's why we need time as of now to seek legal opinion on it," he clarified.

"The government perhaps desires 'reorganisation of MCD'. May be they could re-unify the three corporations, so we have to think over it, and then announce MCD poll dates. We will examine their advice," he told reporters.

There are 104 wards each in the North and the South Delhi Municipal Corporations. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation has 64 wards.

However, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia accused that the EC is afraid of central government. He said, "BJP has pressurised EC & on its diktats, EC didn't announce MCD election dates. BJP is anxious about losing elections. They know AAP will win over 250 seats & are making an excuse of unification of MCDs."