After 3 days of meetings and discussions with all the stake holders in the state The Election Commission  annouced it was ready to go ahead with polls in the state. While the EC team held  discussions with top Karnataka government officials , Police officers , District collectors and political parties on the preparedness for holding the assembly elections in the state, it stopped short of announcing a calendar. Addressing media at Bengaluru Dy Ec Umesh Sinha said the poll preparations are in place and the commission is confident that it will be able to hold free and fair polls in the state . The EC is likely to extend the date of enrolment of voters list.

The Election commission has coined a  slogan “No Voter to be left behind”  in its massive enrolment drive across the state. The Dy EC Sinha said though Karnataka has money power influences , he hoped that people will not fall in any trap and advised the voters not to sell the vote . The Election Commission of India said it is likely to extend the date for enrolling the names of eligible voters in the electoral roll. Currently, the last date for enrolment of names in the electoral roll is January 12.

Sinha said,”Currently, there are 4.90 crore voters in Karnataka in 224 Assembly constituencies. Both online and offline facilities are available for enrolment of names for voters list. The final electoral roll would be published on February 20. However, those who have filled forms online seeking enrolment of their names would be included in the electoral roll till the filing of nomination papers by candidates”.

The EC has launched an app for voters to  know Assembly constituency, polling station address and other details, voters can send SMS to 9731979899 by typing ‘KAEPIC space ID card Number.’ Sinha launched the SMS service in the presence of Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar.

The political parties also raised their concerns to the Election Commission on how the polls need to be conducted. Sinha said the EC has received a complaint from BJP complaining about the enrolment of Bangladeshi names in the voters list and the EC is looking into the complaint.