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Assembly polls : Round 2005 |
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The Election Commission has announced the poll schedule for Assembly elections in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana. Polling is to take place in three phases on February 3, 15 and 23. The polling has perhaps been staggered to allow deployment of security forces especially in Bihar and Jharkhand to ensure a free and fair poll. These states have often witnessed violence and use of muscle and money power during elections in the past. Some areas in these states are also extremist-infested.
Some political parties, the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar and the Opposition BJP are critical of the polling being spread over a three week period in the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is the president of the RJD, has said that the election schedule will hamper his presentation of the Railway Budget. The Government is holding a meeting on Monday, December 20, to discuss the ramifications and impact of the schedule announced by the Election Commission. It is possible that some of the political parties may take up with the Election Commission the question of rescheduling of the poll schedule so that it does not clash too much with the Budget Session of Parliament. The Government on its part may also consider suitable modifications in the Parliamentary schedule in the light of the poll dates.
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