While the probable date is September 27, it is yet to be finalised pending a meeting convened by State Election Commissioner M R Hegde, with the Director-General of Police, Home Secretary and Urban Development Secretary on Thursday (Aug 30).
Mr Hegde told Deccan Herald he would assess the situation with the officers and arrive at a date. Elections have to be held before September 30 as directed by the Supreme Court.
Mr Hegde said revised voters’ list, updated up to January 1, 2007, has been published on August 16 for 200 ULBs. The revised list for eight more ULBs will be out on September 8. The remaining six ULBs will not be going to polls this time round. Of them, fresh delimitation of Saligrama Taluk Panchayat has been completed but not the reservation of seats. Some ULBs complete their term only in 2008 and 2009.
As for Bangalore City Corporation, which has no elected body after its term ended in November last and is under Administrator’s rule, the election seems indefinitely put off.
BJP changes gear
Meanwhile, the BJP launched itself into election gear. At a two-day stock-taking exercise which began here on Wednesday, it was left to the leaders at the district and taluk level to decide whether to enter into a poll tie-up with coalition partner JD (S). Party sources, however, revealed the general mood in the party was to go it alone. Sources said the BJP leadership, despite expressing confidence in public that the transfer of power scheduled for October 3 will be smooth, is apprehensive about the whole affair.
“Though we have been directed not to express it in open, the fear that JD (S) may ditch us at the last minute is there,” a BJP leader said. “In this context, there is no point in compounding our troubles by going in for a tie-up in the local bodies too,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BJP top brass met district office-bearers, election committee members to work out strategy in a bid to gear up for elections.