Hyderabad: The Election Commission is satisfied that the arrangements and atmosphere in Telangana state are conducive to holding Assembly elections along with the four other states where elections are due — Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Chhattisgarh. This was decided at an Election Commission meeting presided over by Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat in Delhi on Friday. The EC will announce the election schedule most probably in the first week of October.
The EC decision was taken after it had studied deputy election commissioner Umesh Sinha’s report on electoral arrangements in Telangana state submitted to Chief Election Commissioner two days ago, which gave a satisfactory account of the state’s preparedness for holding elections along with the four other states. The report said that the objections raised by the Congress party over the electoral rolls should be resolved. Mr Rawat though satisfied with the report has decided to send another team to Hyderabad on September 30 for further study.
Sources in the Election Commission said that if possible Mr Rawat himself may visit Hyderabad. This team will look at the steps taken by State Chief Electoral Officer Rajath Kumar to revise the electoral rolls and whether it has given good results. Cases filled in the SC relating to the dissolution of the Assembly nine months before its tenure ended, and to the electoral rolls, will not be a hurdle to the election process, EC officials said. EC consultant Arun Kumar Sharma arrived in Hyderabad on Friday to discuss election related matters with the state's chief electoral officer Rajath Kumar.
