Indian elections pose ‘immense challenges’

New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Elections to the world's largest democracy pose immense challenges with respect to logistics as well as human and material management, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said on Sunday.

As Arora announced the staggered election schedule, he detailed the massive steps taken by the poll panel to "evolve a coordinated framework for the smooth delivery of another round of general elections".

The Election Commission had planned meticulously for each and every aspect of elections much in advance to ensure that these elections were conducted in best professional manner, he told a crowded press conference.

The Lok Sabha elections involving some 900 million voters will be held over seven phases -- from April 11 to May 19. The millions of votes will be counted on May 23.

Arora said the cooperation of all authorities was sought to conduct "free, fair and peaceful elections across the country, under the overall superintendence, direction and control of the Commission.

"The conduct of the general elections requires considerable deployment of central and state police forces to ensure peaceful, free, fair election with fearless participation of electors, especially in the vulnerable areas," he said.

Arora said that keeping in view the interests of the students and the fact that polling stations were mostly located in school buildings and teachers were engaged as polling staff, the Commission had factored in the examination schedules of various State Boards.

Also taken into consideration were various holidays and festivals falling in March, April and May, harvest season in certain parts of the country and the inputs obtained from the Indian Meteorological Department on the pre-monsoon rainfall.