Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Feb 26: In all likelihood, election schedule for the Lok Sabha election might be announced during the second week of March. The term of the current Lok Sabha ends on May 26, and a new Lok Sabha has to come into existence before that. The election commission (EC) needs around six weeks to complete election in phases for all the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies in the country. There is a need to maintain minimum gap of 45 days from the day notification is issued and the day of polling. Therefore, election time table might be out during March second week, and election may be conducted during April and second week of May, it is being speculated.

In the previous election in 2014, election was held in nine phases. The commission might opt for the same pattern this time too. The Election Commission is expected to come out with the schedule on or after March 5 but before March 11. In Karnataka, election might happen on April 7 or 14. PU examinations are planned from March 1 to 18 while SSLC examinations will be held from March 21 to April 4. Common Entrance Test will be held from April 23. Therefore polling is expected to take place here during second week of April.

Karnataka state chief electoral officer, Sanjiv Kumar, said that all preparations have been made to hold Lok Sabha election in the state, duly adding that the Central Election Commission might publish election time schedule anytime now, and it would not be possible to guess the date of publication or polling at this stage.