NEW DELHI(PTI): In a major electoral reforms measure in India, the clection commission Aug.30 set.an ultimatum to all the states that no election will be allowed beyond January 1,1995 unless all eligible voters were supplied with electoral identity cards.
Press note issued by the election commission late Saturday night said the commission has decided that identity cards shall be issued to all clectors in all parliamentary constituencies throughout India as soon as possible.
As the issue of identity cards to more than 540 million electors throughout the length and brength of the country would take time, adequate measure had to be given for the implementation of the scheme, the Press note issued by commission secretary K.P.G.Kutty said.
“Accordingly, the commission has decided that no pollingateleetions for which the election commission is responsible for which a poll is taken after 1/1/95 be taken unless all eligible electors have been supplied with identity cards.”
This would not apply to elections to the upper house, legislalive councils, president or vice president, the note said.
At Rs 10 per card the identity cards scheme would cost about Rs 5,400 rpt’5.400 million, according. To preliminary estimates.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 10, 1993
