Polls in four states before March 17, 2007

Elections to the assemblies of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab and Manipur will be held before March 17, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy said on Saturday.

This was disclosed after a high-level meeting to review arrangements for assembly polls in Uttaranchal next year.

Gopalaswamy also expressed unhappiness over the pace of the process of distributing photo-identity cards in the hill state and directed the officials to expedite the process.

"So far only 30 to 50 percent of voters have got photo-identity cards," Gopalaswamy told reporters.

He said the names of those youths who complete 18 years of age on January 1 next year, would be included in the voter list of the four states going for polls.