Simultaneous polls in U.P., Uttaranchal?

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 10. The Election Commission today indicated its preference to hold Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh along with those for Uttaranchal.

While remaining non-committal on when the U.P. Assembly elections could be held, the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. J. M. Lyngdoh, said the Commission would have six months time to hold the polls even if the Assembly was to be dissolved. ``If the Assembly is dissolved, we get six months to hold elections, we would like to take our time,'' he said.

The Commission, which would begin the exercise for delimitation of constituencies in Uttaranchal on Monday, expects to complete the task by year-end.

Asked whether this indicated that the U.P. Assembly polls could not be held before year-end, Mr. Lyngdoh said it could be difficult to hold both the U.P. and Uttaranchal Assembly polls together, though the Commission wanted it that way.

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Section  : National
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