Everything would be taken into account before announcing

Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath today said clubbing Jharkhand assembly polls with Haryana, Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir is a difficult task following monsoon and festivals in the state and everything would be taken into account before announcing the election schedule.
"Generally we used to bunch states together, but if the conditions are difficult then we have to take everything into account and take a decision," Sampath said at a press conference here.
"South-west monsoon is over Jharkhand. There are so many festivals in September and October like Puja, Diwali and Chhat. We have to take everything in account... The commission has open mind," the CEC said.

The ECI team, which met representatives of political parties yesterday with ruling allies seeking a November date, today reviewed with officials on preparations of the assembly polls.
The first sitting of the House of this assembly tenure took place on January 4, 2010 after a five-phase election in November/December, 2009.
Briefly sharing his review meetings with officials, Sampath said the special summary review of electoral roll would be over by July 31 before a final roll published, besides applications would be received till 10 days before the nomination date as part of continuous update of rolls.
"There is a gender disparity in the rolls with less number of women voters (being registered), which needs to be set right," he said.

Campaign ambassadors, he added, would be appointed in educational campuses and they would act as liaison between the students and electoral officials for enrolment of voters in the 18/19 age group.