The New Indian Express 02.04.2013
Election of BBMP Mayor in limbo
Uncertainty hangs over the election of the BBMP Mayor and Deputy Mayor with the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anil Kumar Jha deciding to seek a clarification from the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on whether the poll code comes in the way of the election.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Jha said that he would soon get instruction from the CEC on the issue.
“I am not sure whether the poll code will come in the way of the elections or not. So I am seeking clarification from the CEC,” Jha said.
The elections to the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor are scheduled for this month end. On the CEC’s decision to reduce the voting duration by an hour, Jha said that he was not aware of the reasons that prompted the CEC to take such a decision and he would take up the issue with it. “Several organisations and political parties have petitioned demanding restoration of the earlier time schedule for the voting. I will convey this to the CEC,’’ Jha said. The CEC has cut down the voting duration by an hour. As per the new schedule, the voting will start from 8 am instead of 7 am and will end at 5 pm.
For the first time, the state will see police observers overseeing the Assembly polls on May 5. Each district will have a police observer, who is of the rank of the SP and above and are from the cadres of other states. “Having police observers is a new concept. They were used for the first time in the Gujarat elections,”Jha said.
