Cricket first, poll meet with Prime Minister later!

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In India, cricket always wins the day - even if it happens at the cost of a crucial meeting with the prime minister on key electoral reforms!

That's exactly what happened during the India-Sri Lanka World Cup final last year, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) S.Y. Quraishi has revealed.

Speaking to reporters in Panaji, he candidly recalled how a key meeting of election officials and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the issue of electoral reforms was postponed because it was to be held on April 2, 2011, the day of the final.

India thumped Sri Lanka to win the World Cup final that day in Mumbai.

"A key meeting with the prime minister was to be held on April 2, but it was postponed because the World Cup final was held that day," Quraishi said.

When Quraishi, who was in Goa to review poll preparations ahead of the March 3 assembly elections, was asked about the status of political reforms, which the Election Commission of India (ECI) was pushing for, he said the process had got delayed a bit.

The commission had hoped it would be taken up in the winter session of parliament, but that didn't happen, he said. "We have been informed that it will be taken up in the parliament in the budget session," Quraishi said.