New Delhi: The Lok Sabha elections are unlikely to be held before the middle of April owing to various technical issues connected to polls, Election Commission sources said tonight (Jan 12, 2004).

The notifications for the phased polls could be issued only after revision of electoral rolls and Uttar Pradesh would be the last State where this exercise would be completed on March 23, the sources said.

Thereafter, a mandatory 21 days would be required for the process including a fortnight of campaigning, they said, adding that earliest this could be done was mid-April.

Presuming that the Commission issued the poll notifications immediately after the completion of revision process in UP on March 23, polling itself could take place around April 15, they said.

The sources said polling would have to be phased keeping in view the fact that paramilitary forces would have to be moved from one region to another for election duty.

The Commission last week reviewed the preparedness for general elections with Chief Electoral Officers of all States and Union Territories.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi said that final publication of electoral rolls for the national capital would be on February 28. He said that special campaigns would be organised on January 24 and 25 for the purpose of inclusion and deletion of names.