NEW DELHI: The General election likely is to be held in three phases between May 1 and 10, according to highly placed sources, while there will be a two-day polling in most States, northeastern states will go to the polls only after the election in the rest of the country is completed to facilitate movement of security forces, the sources said.
The Government, for the time being, does not appear keen to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir, but indications are that Lok Sabha elections in the State will be held after a few days gap so that adequate deployment of security forces can be made for a free and fair poll in the state.
The Government is understood to have conveyed its readiness and schedule of elections to the Election Commission which is likely to announce the exact polling schedule soon.
Assembly elections in West Bengal, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Assam will also be held along with the Lok Sabha elections. Home Minister S.B. Chavan has already said in the Rajya Sabha that Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, now under President’s rule, will be held only after the Lok Sabha poll.
According to present indications, the Government is not keen on holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The Home Minister had recently met all political parties from the State to assess their views on the election prospects.
Barring the Congress and the Janata Party, none favored early elections in the State.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 6, 1996
