Lok Sabha elections from April 16? Delhi poll officer’s circular sets off buzz
Animesh Singh
New Delhi, January 23
A circular sent by the office of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer to all district election officers created a flutter after it mentioned April 16 as the tentative date for the start of the Lok Sabha elections, forcing the authorities to issue a clarification that the date was only for reference purpose to plan future activities related to the polls and the actual schedule of the General Election would be announced at an appropriate time.
Imaginary date
In the run-up to the LS elections, many activities are required to be planned and completed. The Election Commission of India planner enlists the activities with reference to imaginary poll date. Office of Delhi CEO
The circular mentioned that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had given the tentative date for the elections as April 16, 2024, “for the purpose of reference and to calculate the start and end dates in the election planner”.
The official X handle of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, posted that the date was only for officials’ “reference” to plan activities.
“Some media queries are coming to clarify whether April 16 is the tentative day for the LS elections. It is clarified that this date was mentioned only for officials’ reference to plan activities as per the election planner of the ECI,” the post stated.
Later, in a detailed clarification, which was tagged on its X handle, the office of the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer said, “It is clarified that in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, a large number of activities are required to be planned and completed. The ECI planner enlists all such important activities and provides the start and end dates with reference to an imaginary poll date as reference point to initiate and complete these activities.”
“…It has no bearing on the actual schedule of the election, which shall be announced by the ECI at an appropriate time,” it said.
