The election commission has asked Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) of all states and Union Territories to publish electoral rolls by January 15, 2008.Rules require publication of electoral rolls at the beginning of every year, but in practice they are published as late as March or April by a number of states. Instruction to the CEOs to publish the rolls by a fixed date is probably being given in view of the political uncertainty at the Centre that raises the prospect of mid-term polls.At a review meeting held with the CEOs from southern and western India on Monday, the commission directed that the electoral rolls updated till January 1 must be published by the deadline fixed.
