Elections may be held in seven states

New Delhi: The Election Commission is likely to hold state legislative assembly elections in seven states next year.

The assembly elections in the central Indian state of Uttar Pradesh however, may not be held in advance for administrative reasons and would be held as scheduled in April and May.

Speculations were rife that the Uttar Pradesh elections would be held in advance and synchonise it with the polls in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur.

"The Commission did mull the idea initially, but dropped it since being a sensitive state, the arrangements like deployment of police forces would have to be elaborate to ensure peaceful conduct," sources in the Election Commission said.

Phases

Elections for the 403-member assembly were held in seven phases spread over the months of April and May in 2007. The Election Commission does not want to take risk by cramping elections in India's most populous and politically volatile state. Three states may however, hold polls in January or February. Elections were held in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur in the February 2007. While both Uttarakhand and Manipur, which have 69 and 60 seats respectively, may go to polls in a single phase, elections for Punjab's 116 seats could be held over two or three phases between January and February. Elections in Goa could be held ahead by a month or two to synchronise it with Uttar Pradesh, while Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh could be held between November and December.