Assembly poll schedule by Sept-Oct: CEC

The schedule for Assembly elections in five states this year-end will be announced sometime in September-October, Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath said today.

'The schedule for elections to five states will be announced 6 to 8 weeks before the polling date. Since the earliest cut off date for Madhya Pradesh is December 12, we will announce the schedule sometime in September-October.

'Since it will be a bunch of elections, we will announce the schedule together,' he told PTI here.

Sampath, who is here to observe the Parliament elections on July 13, said the number of phases these elections will be held will depend on various issues including availability of forces.

Elections are due in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, where the term of assemblies expires between December 12 and January 4.