NEW DELHI: The election process for both the assembly and Lok Sabha seats in the northern Indian state of Punjab is likely to be initiated all over again after declaring the present poll schedule null and void.

Giving indications to this effect official source said a bill to amend the representation of the people act 1951 was ready with the law ministry. It would seek to debar secession is elements from taking part in the election and the use of secessionism as an election plank

Under the existing law the election commission had no power to initiate a fresh poll process unless the R.P. act was amended to empower the president to revoke his earlier notification calling for elections in Punjab.

However the commission has powers lo postpone completion of poll under section 153 of the RP act and it had exercised this power to postpone the bill twice.

The sources said before introducing the bill in parliament premier P V Narasimha Rao would hold detailed discussions with the opposition leaders.

This would not only empower the president to revoke his earlier notification on elections in the State but also enable the Congress (I) to participate in the elections which it had boycotted.

The party had taken the plea that the outcome of the elections would be construed as a referendum for their cause by the militants who had decided to use secessionism as an election plank.

The state has 13 Lok Sabha and 117 assembly constituencies. Elections to two Lok Sabha constituencies of Jalandhar and Faridkot and 15 assembly seats have been countermanded following killing of candidates

Punjab is to go to the poll on September 25.Elections in the state were first notified for May 20along with the rest of the country but on April 19 the election commission deferred the poll and announced June 22 as the date.

However hours before the assumption of office of the new governmentied by PV Narasimha Rao the commission again postponed the date to September 25

The last minute change in the schedule raised a storm of protest among the Akalis and some other Opposition parties. The then Punjab governor gen OP Malhotra resigned in protest. _

According to home ministry sources everybody in Punjab were in favour of elections which is on the top of the government agenda as well.

The people in Punjab were fed up with the militancy and were yearning for peace they said adding the spate of extortions Tapes and mindless killings by militants had alienated a large section of the people.

The sources said though the central government would make all security arrangements for elections as and when held the people of Punjab also would not allow anybody to disrupt the election process

Home minister S B Chavan has said any fresh initiative on Punjab would be effective only if there is a representative government in the state

He told PTI that the government was committed to implement the Rajiv-Longowal accord but nothing could be done unless there is an effective representative government in Punjab.

Asked about the fresh dates for the poll he said it depended on the Suggestions made by the opposition parties It could go beyond November 11 when the present spell of president mule expires if political parties so desired.

However the government was prepared to hold elections even before the expiry of the present spell of president rule he said.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 30, 1991