Delhi’s chief election official dismisses speculation about the dates of the LS elections

Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer on Tuesday clarified that an internal note stating that the Lok Sabha elections could be held on April 16 was only for indicative purposes for the officials to plan the activities related to the general elections and should not be taken as the election date for Delhi’s seven seats.

The internal note circulated by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi with April 16 as a tentative ‘poll date’ to help officials plan various activities ‘in the run-up’ to the Lok Sabha elections, heightened speculation that the Lok Sabha elections could be brought forward. with a few weeks since Delhi voted in the second half of the 2019 multi-phase elections.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, which took place in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, voting for Delhi’s seven seats took place in the sixth phase on May 12. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, which took place over nine phases from April 7 to May 12, Delhi voted in the third phase on April 10. In 2009, Delhi voted in the fifth, the penultimate phase, on May 7.

In 2019, the elections were announced on March 10, while in 2014 they were announced on March 5. “Questions are being raised in the media referring to a circular from @CeodelhiOffice to clarify whether April 16 is a provisional polling day for the Lok Sabha elections. It is clarified that this date was only mentioned as a ‘reference’ for officials to plan activities as per the Election Planner of the Election Commission of India,” the CEO office posted on Twitter.

First print: January 23, 2024 | 8:23 PM IST