GUWAHATI: Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections, a team from the Election Commission of India (ECI) arrived in Assam for a two-day visit to review poll preparedness in the state.
The ECI team will meet with officials, political parties, and organizations to gather feedback on the forthcoming national election.
The team is also slated to discuss the security arrangements with the state police.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that he along with the Chief Secretary would urge the ECI to hold Lok Sabha polls before Rongali Bihu which will be celebrated from April 14, 2024.
"The state government has already urged the EC to conclude the election in the state before the Bihu festival. In Assam, during the Bihu celebration, people get into a festive mood. All the talks about BJP or Congress do not match well with the Bihu atmosphere," Sarma firmly spoke.
The Assam CM’s proactive suggestion aims to align the polling schedule with local traditions, allowing the citizens to fully participate in and enjoy the Rongali Bihu festival without the disruption caused by election activities.
He stated, “The Chief Secretary will again convey our request to the EC team. If there is no such difficulty, we will appreciate finishing the elections before Bihu.”
It was earlier speculated that the ECI has tentatively scheduled April 16 as the election date.
Later, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) dismissed the reports of Lok Sabha election dates. The CEO later clarified that it was solely for reference and to calculate start and end dates in the Election Planner.
The Delhi CEO’s officer later brushed aside all the speculations surrounding it. Taking to X, the CEO clarified that the purpose of the circular is to provide a ‘reference’ for officials to calculate the start and end dates in the Election planner.
In 2019, the Lok Sabha Election in Assam was held in three phases.
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