EC asks State ECs to share dates of local body polls

The Election Commission has asked State Election Commissions to share with it dates of local body elections in states so that the poll machinery is not "stretched" in case these elections are held along with state or Lok Sabha polls.
While EC is mandated to hold elections to Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state assemblies and offices of the President and Vice President, the State Election Commissions were set up to hold polls to local bodies such as panchayats and municipalities.
The State Election Commissions are appointed by the state governments but they take assistance from Chief Electoral Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and Returning Officers appointed by EC under various provisions of the Representation of the People Act.

"This may give rise to a situation when the same electoral machinery is stretched to conduct simultaneous or consecutive elections to local bodies and state legislature or Parliament," the EC said in its letter.
The poll panel said in a bid to "avoid such a situation", the State Election Commissions must share information about the schedule of elections to local bodies such as panchayats and municipalities as soon as they are declared.
EC said it would help it plan holding of polls or bypolls to Lok Sabha and state assemblies and avoid clash of schedules.
In October last, EC had to cancel its notification to to hold bypoll to the Lohardaga assembly seat in Jharkhand after the State Election Commission informed that a three-tier panchayat poll would be held around the same time and the schedule would clash.