Delaying tactics

EC's late declaration of Gujarat poll dates is questionable

The Election Commission’s decision to hold the Gujarat Assembly elections almost a month after the polls in Himachal Pradesh has raised a volley of questions that has disturbing implications for Indian democratic norms. This time lapse has provoked considerable conjecture because both the Election Commission and this government have at various points of time in the recent past expressed a preference for holding simultaneous elections. Following the norm, as was done in 2012, of holding polls for these two states simultaneously would have been a good way to establish that intention. In fact, the reason for this time gap is