CHANDIGARH: Elections to the Punjab Assembly are likely to be held in March April 1990.
Unless unforeseen circumstances force the center to change its mind at the last moment, it is now certain that Lok Sabha elections in Punjab will be held along with those in the rest of India in December — January. Punjab has thirteen Lok Sabha seats.
These indications, according to authoritative sources, have emerged as a result of the discussions on the Punjab situation held at the top level by the Centre over the past few days.
Two major factors are said to be responsible for the Centre’s latest thinking on Punjab. One, constitutional difficulty in continuing President’s rule for more than three years. Iwo, the Centre’s reported desire to start a process to find a political solution to the Punjab problem.
Under the special provisions incorporated in the constitution for Punjab, President’s rule cannot be extended beyond three years. The fifth six-month term of the central rule ends on November 11. It is certain that President’s rule in Punjab will be extended for another six-month term, the sixth and the last. The Centre will have to bring the state under popular rule before May 11, 1990.
In case, however, the Centre wants to extend its rule in Punjab beyond three years, it will have to again amend the Constitution. Sources claim that though the Lok Sabha is expected to hold its last session in October, the Centre has: no plans of amending the Constitution.
It does not seem probable that the coming Lok Sabha elections will give any single party a two thirds majority essential for amending the Constitution. It will therefore not be easy to amend the Constitution to provide for further extension of President’s rule.
An indication of. the Centre’s views on Punjab was provided by the Punjab Governor, S.S. Ray while addressing an official function at Mohali near here on September 15 when he said, “President’s rule cannot last forever. It has gone on for over two and a half years and a political solution has to be found to the Punjab problem.
The electoral process in Punjab which will start with the holding of the Lok Sabha elections and end with the Assembly elections will lay the basis for a political solution to the state’s problem.
As President’s rule will end on May 11, 1990, Assembly elections in Punjab will have to be held before that date. Sources say that since the rabi harvesting season starts from the middle of April, The Assembly elections will have to be held in March or early April. The Barnala ministry was ousted on May 11, 1987. Later the State Assembly was also dissolved.
At one stage, there was uncertainty about whether the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab would be held along with those in the rest of the country. One of the reasons which had prompted observers to conclude that the elections would not be held in the state was the reported opposition by the Union Home Minister Buta Singh and the Lok Sabha Speaker, Balram Jakhar.
With the possibility of having to contest from their home state, the two were expected to seek delinking of Punjab from the rest of the country. In the prevailing situation they would not be certain of being elected from the state. But the congress (I) faction led by the former Chief Minister and the parliamentary board member, Darbara Singh has been of the view that Punjab must go in for the Lok Sabha poll with the rest of that country.
Almost all the parties in Punjab have however, been demanding that elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Assembly be held simultaneously. It is the State Congress (I) dominated by the but a Singh faction which does not want the Assembly elections to be held along with those of the Lok Sabha.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 29, 1989
