Uncertainty hangs over the election of the BBMP Mayor and Deputy
Mayor with the State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anil Kumar Jha
deciding to seek a clarification from the Chief Election Commissioner
(CEC) on whether the poll code comes in the way of the election.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Jha said that he would soon get instruction from the CEC on the issue. 

“I
am not sure whether the poll code will come in the way of the elections
or not. So I am seeking clarification from the CEC,” Jha said.

The
elections to the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor are scheduled for this
month end. On the CEC’s decision to reduce the voting duration by an
hour, Jha said that he was not aware of the reasons that prompted the
CEC to take such a decision and he would take up the issue with it.
“Several organisations and political parties have petitioned demanding
restoration of the earlier time schedule for the voting. I will convey
this to the CEC,’’ Jha said.  The CEC has cut down the voting duration
by an hour. As per the new schedule, the voting will start from 8 am
instead of 7 am and will end at 5 pm.

For the first time, the
state will see police observers overseeing the Assembly polls on May 5. 
Each district will have a police observer, who is of the rank of the SP
and above and are from the cadres of other states. “Having police
observers is a new concept. They were used for the first time in the
Gujarat elections,”Jha said.