NEW DELHI: India’s opposition Congress-I Sunday charged the chief election commissioner (CEC) with joining hands with the ruling national front government for premature dissolution of state assemblies.
“It appears he had joined hands with the present government to get premature dissolution of assemblies,” party general secretary, K.N: Singh and party’s legal cell convener R.N. Mittal said in a statement here Sunday.
Citing the row over cut outs depicting front leader N.T. Rama Rao as Lord Krishna in the recent general elections to the lower house of Indian parliament, they said that during the elections the chief election commissioner was found behaving in a “biased manner” and was “openly supporting” the Janata Dal.
Asserting that the chief election commissioner could not be used as ploy to dismiss any state government, K.N. Singh and Mittal said the recent assertions of the CEF about the Bihar government and Janata Dal leaders for other state governments smacked of “collusion”.
Citing Article 172 of the Indian constitution, they said it would be unconstitutional to call a state government “caretaker” until the life of the legislature expired.
- Singh and Mittal, citing relevant legal provisions, claimed that the election commission had no control on the postings and transfer or running of the state administration, “The role of the CEC begins after election notification is issued,” they asserted.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 26, 1990
