New Delhi: Leaders of various Opposition parties today (Feb 3, 2004) urged the Election Commission (EC) to take into consideration the ongoing revision of electoral rolls and the school examinations while finalising the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls.

After meeting Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh and the other two Election Commissioners T S Krishna Murthy and B B Tandon, they told reporters that the final publication of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh was scheduled on March 23 and the Board examinations in the State would end on April 16.

"The issue is concerning students' future and the Commission should announce the schedule only after taking all these factors," they said.

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Deve Gowda said the Commission assured to consider all the factors.

RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav said the Commission should be impartial and fearless while deciding the poll schedule. He, however, said that the Opposition was not afraid of facing elections.

The Opposition delegation comprised of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) leaders Harkishen Singh Surjeet and Sitaram Yechury, CPI leaders A B Bardhan and A Raja and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Ashok Chandel.