MADRAS: The Election Commission would consider any fresh request for holding elections in Kashmir, the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. T.N. Seshan, said last week.
Talking to media persons, he said if the government thought that the conditions were satisfactory the hold elections, the EC would review its decision.
Taking note of an appeal made by the AICC joint secretary, Mr. Ved Prakash, seeking early elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the CEC said “Kashmir is one game and Uttar Pradesh is another. As far as Kashmir is concerned, on November 10, we took a decision that the conditions were not conducive to hold elections. ‘That matter is now subjudice as it is pending in the Supreme Court, However, if we receive a further intimation from the government that the conditions are satisfactory, all that T can tell is that the EC will apply its mind very carefully and take a decision. We will take a look at the position of the government. It is fair enough that they feel elections could be held in J and K.”
As far as UP was concerned, the normal rule was that the Government of India would have to write to the EC saying that they were prepared to revoke the President’s rule and that the EC could hold the elections.
“But as far as T can see, the Rajya Sabha will have to extend the President’s rule before December 17. That is, however not my concern,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission will for the first time appoint a ‘third category’ of observers for polls in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and ‘Assembly elections to keep a tab on those indulging in corrupt practices, and instigating communalism in the name of caste and religion, Mr. Seshan said.
Talking to media persons at the Madras airport on arrival from Delhi on two-day visit to the city, Mr. Seshan said this was in addition to the general observers and the poll expenditure observers who function during the elections. The third category of observers would also monitor those parties which carry the voters to the booth from their residences. The observers would be government officials. Asked what action the EC proposed on the erring parties, the CEC said all action available in the law would be taken.
(On the likely date for the 1996 general elections, Mr. Seshan said “Legally speaking, the commission comes into play only on February 7, which is. six months before the end of the term for the present Lok Sabha. The EC hopes to take a decision on the poll schedule before that date.”
“The present term of Lok Sabha ‘comes to an end on July 7 and we can’t hold the elections before February 10 as the summary revision of rolls is going on and will not be completed before January 2 in some parts of the country and January 9 in other parts. The notification for elections can be issued only after that, which means the earliest we can hold elections is the middle of February.” The CEC said as announced earlier, the EC would hold the elections to the Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies together. Assembly elections were due in Assam, West Bengal, Haryana, Tamil, Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. The Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary had written a letter to the EC requesting that the elections be held simultaneously. The CEC agreed that desirable police strength especially from the central forces to supervise the polls would not be available when the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections were held simultaneously.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 22, 1995
