By IANS,
Srinagar : A three member Election Commission (EC) team headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N. Gopalaswami arrived here Wednesday to assess the ground situation ahead of the seven-phase assembly polls beginning here Nov 17.
The EC team includes election commissioners Naveen Chawla and S.Y. Qureshi.
“The EC team has a busy schedule in the state. They will interact with political parties, senior civil and police officers, as well as local poll officials to obtain an overview of the situation,” an official said.
Sources said the EC team would assess the poll scenario here especially in light of the boycott campaign started by separatist leaders.
The election campaigns of all the mainstream political parties, including the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party and Congress, have so far remained confined to party workers’ meetings held either at party headquarters or inside the houses of senior politicians.
“Elections as an enthusiastic democratic activity have in fact not picked up so far in cities and towns of the valley,” said the editor of a local newspaper.