DELHI assembly elections expected to be in January-February 2020

Officials of the Election Commission of India and Delhi poll panel have reviewed preparedness for the Delhi Assembly elections. The   Delhi Legislative Assembly comprising 70 Members should be held in February 2020 as the five-year term of current assembly elected in 2015 will expire on 22 February 2020.The meeting was attended by a team of Election Commission of India led by Sandeep Saxena, senior deputy Election Commissioner, Director Generals of Expenditure and Media, Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, Delhi Police officials, civic bodies and other key departments. The review meeting focused on sensitising officers to work for proper planning and proactive action to conduct free and fair, inclusive and accessible elections of Delhi Assembly, a statement issued by the Delhi poll body said. In the meeting held on Monday, November 4, the district election officers (DEOs) were directed to ensure error-free electoral rolls by disposing off all pending forms, removing all logical errors and demographically similar entries (DSE)/Repeat entries removing the dead and permanently shifted electors. This process has to be completed before publication of draft roll on November 15.Saxena also asked DEOs to appeal to all eligible citizens to get themselves enrolled with qualifying date January 1, 2020 during the special summary revision-2020 for which draft roll will be published on November 15.He said the final roll would be published on January 6, 2020 and all necessary preparatory steps to be taken to conduct the elections before the expiry of the term of the current legislative assembly on February 22, 2020.”Vulnerability mapping has to be done to identify anti-social elements and intimidators and there should be a plan to mitigate intimidation and undue influence to vulnerable voters,” the statement said. Expenditure Sensitive Pockets should be identified and preparations be made to monitor expenditure by political parties and candidates and to check movement of cash, liquor and other goods for use as freebies/inducement for voters during election, it added. As per latest notification of ECI, senior citizens (above 80 years) electors and People with Disability (PwD) can exercise the option to cast their vote through Postal Ballots, if they so desire. Therefore, these electors shall be verified and flagged in the electoral roll so that postal ballots are issued to them during elections, the statement said. All polling stations shall be physically verified to ensure provisions of assured minimum facilities such as ramps, toilets, sign ages, proper furniture, proper lightings, drinking water, etc, the statement said. Saxena stressed on providing a comfortable and happy voting experience. “Values of gender equality and PwD empowerment should be exhibited through all-women polling booths and all-PwD polling booths,” it said. All election-related cases registered during last Lok Sabha and previous Assembly Elections should be vigorously pursued and brought to logical conclusion, it said.The major parties  contesting  will be ruling AAP, BJP and INC