The Election Commission on Friday indicated that the forthcoming Lok Sabha election will be held in four phases and the schedule for the same will be out very soon.

Election Commission spokesman A N Jha said the election schedule will take into account factors like board examinations, festivals, weather conditions and the harvesting season.

Jha was briefing reporters after an  all-party meeting the commission had convened at the Nirvachan Bhavan.

Jha said over a million Electronic Voting Machines will be used for the polls for both LS and assemblies.
 
The commission, which has held consultations with state chief secretaries, directors general of police and chief electoral officers, is working out its requirement of security forces, he said,

Jha indicated that simultaneous polls will be held for LS and the state assembly in Karnataka. "Karnataka government has intimated to us that the state assembly would be dissolved on February 23. We have taken note of it," he said.

"The question of model code of conduct also came up for discussion. Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy has already gone on record saying that the model code of conduct would come into force the day polls are announced.

"Some political parties also raised the issue of advertisements in general, advertisements released by the government, exit and opinion polls telecast by various television networks, improvement of the electoral rolls and location of polling booths for the weaker sections," Jha said.