New Delhi: In all likelihood, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the schedule for the upcoming parliamentary elections on March 13-14.<\/p>\n
As such, the model code of conduct (MCC) will come into effect after the ECI makes the announcement.<\/p>\n
ECI teams have so far visited several states and held meetings with the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) to take stock of the poll preparedness there.<\/p>\n
The ECI officials are currently visiting Tamil Nadu, where they are taking a detailed view of the election related preparations by the state machinery. In the coming week, the ECI will visit Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.<\/p>\n
Sources told IANS that the full Commission would visit Jammu and Kashmir on March 11-12 to assess the poll preparedness and the security scenario there.<\/p>\n
J&K is last on ECI\u2019s schedule to visit different states for taking a first-hand view of the situation and issue necessary directions. It is thus believed that the Commission would announce the poll schedule soon after its return from J&K.<\/p>\n
It may be recalled that the schedule for the seven-phase 2019 Lok Sabha elections was announced on March 10, while the dates for the nine-phase 2014 parliamentary polls had been announced on March 5.<\/p>\n
Nearly 97 crore Indians will be eligible to vote in this year\u2019s Lok Sabha elections. The electoral rolls were published in all the states\/UTs across the country in early February after the months-long intensive Special Summary Revision 2024.<\/p>\n
Several states such as Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh will hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.<\/p>\n
(IANS)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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