EC set to announce LS poll schedule within a week

The Election Commission is all set to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections after having elicited views of Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta on Tuesday on the security scenario and those of political parties.

The review of the security situation with the home secretary was considered as the final stage before declaring the poll schedule. The schedule is likely to be out within a week.

The full commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami asked the home ministry to begin the process of mobilising at least 60,000 security personnel for the general elections.

The commission conveyed its requirement of security forces to Gupta while discussing the law and order situation. "We have had a detailed discussion about the force requirement. So, now it's upto the Election Commission," Gupta said after the meeting.

Gopalaswami and two other Election Commissioners Navin Chawla and S Y Quraishi held discussions with the Home Secretary for about 20 minutes. While Gupta did not elaborate, sources said EC asked the ministry to start mobilising para-military forces. The commission also met Defence Secretary Vijay Singh to discuss logistics.