Polls to 4 Assemblies likely with Lok Sabha election

New Delhi: The Election Commission is likely to hold Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh with the Lok Sabha election, highly placed sources in the panel have said. The terms of the four Assemblies end in May and June in 2019.

The sources said there is also the possibility of holding elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, dissolved this month before it completed its tenure, along with the general election.

They pointed out that by holding Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh along with the Lok Sabha poll, the Election Commission will be following precedents.

Since the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has been dissolved, the EC is bound to hold fresh election there within six months. “The upper limit ends in May. We may hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Lok Sabha poll. But it can be held before that also. We’ll see in the coming days,” a functionary said.

Convenience factor

Sources in the government, meanwhile, pointed out that when security forces were deployed for the Lok Sabha election in the State, it would be convenient for election authorities to hold the Assembly poll simultaneously. While the term of the Sikkim Assembly ends on May 27, 2019, the terms of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh Assemblies end on June 18, 11 and 1, respectively. “When arrangements are in place for the Lok Sabha poll and the terms of the Assemblies are ending during the same period, it is but natural that all polls are held together,” the functionary said.