Parties seek postponement of polls in Kerala

Communist Party of India, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Nationalist Congress Party on Wednesday demanded postponement of Lok Sabha elections in Kerala, slated for April 16, at least by one week on the ground that the Hindu festival Vishu and the Holy Week of the Christians are preceding the date for voting.

This demand was put forward by the party delegations, which separately called on Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami, who is in the state capital to review the poll preparations. The two major parties in the state, Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Congress, however, did not make this demand.

The CPI-M delegates, after meeting the CEC, told reporters that the party did not want the change in the schedule as the poll date was decided considering various aspects.

While Vishu, the most important Hindu festival after Onam, falls on April 14, the Holy Weeks starts on April 9 and culminates with Easter on April 12.

The parties pressing for the postponement of voting said the poll preparations could be affected as the week that immediately precedes the voting had a cluster of holidays.

Gopalaswami would meet District collectors, Chief Secretary, DGP and senior civil and police officials to assess the arrangements for the elections.