Clash in Election Commission before Maharashtra elections, CEO raised questions on timeline of his own organization, will voting be postponed? – ..

News India Live, Digital Desk: Amidst the preparations for Maharashtra Assembly elections, a big news is coming out from the administrative corridors. There seems to be a situation of lack of coordination and tussle within the Election Commission (ECI). In the latest development, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra has lodged a serious objection to the timeline of ‘Special Summary Revision’ (SSR) issued by the Commission. This protest has not only put a question mark on the election preparations, but has also intensified the stir in political circles as to whether it could have an impact on the voting dates?

Why is the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra adamant about the timeline?

According to sources, the CEO of Maharashtra has clarified in his message sent to the Central Election Commission that the currently fixed timeline is not practical. In a large state like Maharashtra, the speed that is expected for the revision of voter lists and settlement of claims has become a major challenge for the officials at the ground level. The CEO argues that if the process is rushed, the possibility of errors in the voter list may increase, fearing that the fairness of the election will be affected.

The feud within: Election Commission vs State election machinery

Usually the coordination between the Election Commission and the election offices of the states is very strong, but this time the matter seems different. This step taken by the Maharashtra CEO is being considered as a direct challenge to the instructions of the Central Commission. Officials say that employees are already under pressure due to the upcoming festivals and administrative commitments in the state, so it seems almost impossible to follow the new deadline. Now it remains to be seen what stand the Delhi based headquarters takes on this objection.

Will the election dates be affected?

After this internal dispute, now a discussion has started in political circles whether the dates of Maharashtra Assembly elections can be extended. If there is a delay in the revision of the voter list, the entire calendar of the election process may be affected. Both the ruling party and the opposition are keeping a close eye on this development. The opposition may call it a conspiracy to postpone the elections, while the government is calling it a purely administrative matter. At present, the ball is in the court of the Central Election Commission.