Three N-E states go to polls in Feb

The Election Commission (EC) on Friday announced Assembly polls in the North-Eastern states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.

Six more states are slated to go to the polls during 2013.
According to the announcement, polling in Tripura will be held on February 14, and in Nagaland and Meghalaya on February 23. The three states have 60 Assembly seats each.

Meghalaya has 55 seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (STs), while Nagaland has 59 seats reserved for STs. Tripura has 10 seats reserved for SCs and 20 for STs.

Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath said the model code of conduct would come into effect immediately. He also announced by-elections to some assembly constituencies in Mizoram, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal on February 23 and in Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra on February 24.

Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Delhi will also go to the polls this year. Elections in Karnataka are expected to be held in May.

The poll panel said the Assembly elections in the three states announced on Friday will not have any bearing on the presentation of the Union Budget. The CEC said the government will have to seek its permission before making major announcements when the Model Code of Conduct is in force. He said the code does not interfere with legislative functions.