Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Joti on Tuesday said Assembly elections in Gujarat will be held in December, The Indian Express reported. However, he did not specify any dates.
“The term of the Gujarat Assembly ends on January 22, so the election will have to be completed in December,” The Times of India quoted him as saying.
Joti was on a two-day visit to Gujarat to review the poll preparedness in the state. He said the poll panel was assessing whether there was a need to conduct the state election in two phases.
He said the political parties in Gujarat had welcomed the introduction of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails attached with Electronic Voting Machines in the upcoming elections. “They emphasised the need to publicise the functioning of paper trails,” Joti said, adding that the state authorities have been asked to provide cashless facilities at polling stations.
The election commissioner also said it was mandatory for all licenced weapon holders to deposit their arms to the police during the period when elections are held. “After the polling is over, all licenced weapons shall be returned to the owners,” he added.
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