Thursday, January 19 2006 14:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Setting to rest all speculations of delay in holding of assembly elections in West Bengal, the Chief Election Commissioner, B B Tandon today (Jan 19, 2006) said that he was aware that the tenure of the present house would end on June 13 and there was no question of delay in holding the polls.

Tandon had an hour long meeting this morning with state's Chief Electoral Officer Debashish Sen at the NSC Bose international airport enroute to Assam.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, he categorically ruled out any delay in holding the elections, "There is no question of deferment of election dates. The election schedule has not yet been finalised but we are taking all measures to make the elections free, fair and peaceful," he said.

He announced that the final electoral rolls would be published by February 15.

Tandon said that 19 EC observers deputed to the state had received many applications from different parts of the state for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls.

"It had also received various complaints pertaining to names of false voters and inclusion of names of dead people in the voters' list," Tandon said.

"Everything will be processed. For this purpose the last date of receiving applications has been extended from January 16 to January 24 and the final list will be published on February 15," he said.

"The schedule for West Bengal and four other states, including Assam, has not yet been finalised," he said, adding, "But I have kept it in mind that the term of the West Bengal assembly would come to an end on June 13."

"Before that elections will surely be held. There is no question of delay," the CEC said.