The Election Commission (EC) is set to assess the readiness of states for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, commencing with visits to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu next week. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, accompanied by Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, will lead the commission's inspection in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu from January 7 to 10.
Ahead of the visit, deputy election commissioners will brief the full commission about the preparations in the two states on January 6. The deputy election commissioners have visited almost all the states to oversee the preparation for the Lok Sabha polls.
The Election Commission (EC) routinely embarks on state tours preceding assembly or Lok Sabha elections to engage with political parties, senior police and administrative officials, and assess the functioning of its on-the-ground polling machinery. Nevertheless, the EC's visitation to all states and union territories remains uncertain. There is a possibility that states where recent assembly polls were conducted might be excluded from the commission's current itinerary.
In 2019, the Lok Sabha elections were announced on March 10 and held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. Votes were counted on May 23.