CHANDIGARH, India: The Center is considering the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, currently under animated suspension as the house cannot create a lasting and effective popular government under the present political mess and the deteriorating law and order situation.
According to the Indian Express, the Center is in the process of taking a final decision to the effect, whether the house should be dissolved before the Rajya Sahba elections or after it. The major or main argument for the dissolution of Vidhan Sabha before the Rajya Sabha election is that it will block of reelection of detained S.G.P.C, Chief Gurcharan Singh Tohra or the election of detained U.A.D. Chief S. Simranjit Singh Mann, According to Congress (I) sources, both of these leaders, who face serious charges, will get the moral right to be released, only if they succeed in obtaining people’s mandate.
Another view which prevails in the political circles is that the election of Tohra or Mann will require them to take the oath of allegiance to the Indian Constitution. This process according to the sources will remove the misgivings about their views having a different political set up in the state,
The Vidhan Sabha is to elect three members to the Rajya Sabha in the near future. The UAD with the effective strength of 32 members and with the marginal support from other groups can muster to elect two members to the Upper House of Parliament. Although 22 members of UAD stand disqualified but they can exercise their votes in accordance with the judgment of the Supreme Court.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 12, 1988
