The Election Commission of India (ECI) is likely to conduct the State Assembly elections in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh besides Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha with the Lok Sabha polls due next year.
This was stated in a news report published on Monday by Moneycontrol quoting highly-placed sources in the poll panel. The terms of the four assemblies will end in May and June, 2019.
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The report also stated that as per the poll penal by holding Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh along with the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission will be following precedents.
The report stated that sources in the Government pointed out that when security forces are deployed for the Lok Sabha polls in the States, it would be convenient for election authorities to hold the Assembly polls simultaneously.
According to information, the term of the Sikkim State Assembly will end on May 27, 2019 while the terms of Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Assemblies will end on June 1, June 18 and June 11 respectively.
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The report quoted a functionary as saying: “When arrangements are in place for the Lok Sabha polls and the terms of the assemblies are ending during the same period, it is but natural that all polls are held together.”
It also quoted another Election Commission official as saying that if Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections too are clubbed with polls in the four States and the Lok Sabha, then there would not be any other polls to be held in 2019.
The report further quoted the functionary as saying: “Hypothetically speaking, the two states have BJP governments. If a call is taken by the party to seek dissolution of the two assemblies six months before the schedule, then elections can be clubbed with that of the Lok Sabha and the four states.”
On the other hand, since the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly has been dissolved, the Election Commission is bound to hold fresh polls in the valley within six months.