Election Commission interacts with parties, reviews poll arrangements

Bangalore: The Central Election Commission reviewed the arrangements in Bangalore on Monday for the May 5 Assembly elections, interacting with political parties and hearing their grievances.

Representatives of outfits, including the ruling BJP, Congress and JDS, shared their views with Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath and Election Commissioners H S Brahma and SNA Zaidi.

The BJP pushed for extension of poll timing from the present 8 am to 5 pm to 7 am to 6 pm, and curbs of central government advertisements till the elections, sources said.

JDS sought a ban on pre-poll surveys, among others, the sources added.

The poll process in the State is set to begin on April 10, with the issue of notification by the state Governor, paving the way for candidates to start filing their nominations for elections to the 224-member Assembly.

The EC team is slated to hold another meeting of top election officials here tomorrow to discuss threadbare the poll and security arrangements.

Counting of votes will be held on May 8.

While 36 constituencies are reserved for SCs, 15 are reserved for STs in the state.