CHANDIGARH: The Constitution Amendment Bill approved by both Houses of Parliament recently for extending President’s rule in Punjab by another six month’s has given the state an unusual distinction of remaining without an elected government for more than eight years since Independence.

Of these eight years, the state has been under Central rule for five years during the past seven years. Since October 5, 1983, the elected govt functioned in the state for a little more than 19 months between September, 1985, and May, 1987 for the remaining period it remained under President’s rule.

Today’s amendment gives powers to the Union Government to deny a democratic setup to the state until May 11, 1991. The present spell of Central rule, which commenced on May 11, 1987 may perhaps be the longest in the annals of any democracy in the world. In any case most Sikhs do not accept the form of democracy as practised in India.

Punjab tasted its first spell of President’s rule way back in June, 1951, when a conflict between rival factions of the Congress saw the formation and collapse of three Congress ministries in the state in quick succession. Dr Bhargava and Mr Bhim Sen Sachar were the main actors. Though Mr Bhim Sen Sachar resigned on June 11, 1951, the state assembly was kept under animated suspension after imposition of Central rule on June 18. The Central rule ended on April 17, 1952, when a popular govt headed by Mr Sachar was installed after fresh assembly elections.

The second spell of President’s rule came in the wake of the reorganization of the state in 1966. On June 9.1966, the Union Government announced the creation of unilingual states of Punjab and Haryana besides the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The then chief Minister, Mr Ram Krishan, tendered his resignation on June 22-1966.

On the recommendation of the Governor, the state was brought under President’s rule on July 5. There was a sharp reaction to the resolution on President’s rule in Punjab when it came up before the Lok Sabha. It was alleged that “democracy had been murdered in the state and Central rule imposed to protect the interests of the Congress than those of the people”. It was during this spell of President’s rule that a drive against hoarding and black marketing was launched. The Governor, Mr Dharma Vira, took a keen and active interest in the administration. The rule ended on Nov 1, 1966, when Mr Gurmukh Singh Musafir was sworn in as Chief Minister of the state.

The third spell of President’s rule followed the toppling of the United Front Ministry headed by

Mr Lachman Singh Gill in August 1968. The Congress withdrew its support to the ministry. The Governor recommended imposition of President’s rule in, the state on August 23 and the assembly was dissolved.

This spell saw the appointment of two Advisers to the Governor, Mr D.C. Pavate. The Advisers were Mr Gian Singh Kahlon and Mr R.C.V_P. Noronha.

The Central rule ended on February 17,1969, when an Akali Jana Sangh coalition Govt headed by Mr Gurnam Singh was swom in,

Mr Gumam Singh was later replaced by Mr Parkash Singh Badal as Chief Minister. The bickering within the Akali Dal continued and ultimately forced Mr Parkash Singh Badal to recommend to the Governor the dissolution of the state assembly and tendered his resignation on June 13,1971. President’s rule was imposed on June 15. The Governor, Mr Payate, appointed Mr R.S. Talwar and Mr I.D.N. Sahi as his Advisers to run the administration.

President’s rule was lifted on February 17, 1972, when a Congress govt headed by Giani Zail ‘Singh was installed.

The fifth spell of President’s rule in Punjab followed the decisions of the Janata Party Government at the Centre in August, 1977, to dissolve nine state assemblies. After a legal battle, the Punjab Assembly ‘was dissolved and Mr M.M. Chaudhary, the then Governor, took over the administration. He appointed Mr R.S. Talwar, then Financial Commissioner (Revenue) as his Adviser. The Central rule, imposed on April 30, 1977, continued until June 20 when a coalition govt headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal was sworn in.

 Three years later it was the turn of Congress to repeat the action of the Janata Govt. Mrs Indira Gandhi invoked Article 356 of the Constitution to dissolve state assemblies and brought them under Central rule. On promulgation of President’s rule on February 17, 1980, Mr Karam Singh, a Bihar cadre TAS officer, was appointed Adviser. President’s rule continued until June 20 when Mr Darbara Singh was sworn in as Chief Minister of Punjab.

While the first six spells of President’s rule in the state were necessitated because of political developments, the seventh, which began on Oct 5, 1983, was primarily because of an uprising against the state and a demand for independence by the Sikhs. Both at the Centre and in the state, the ruling party the Congress was the same. Within two days of President’s rule, the State was declared a disturbed area.

The seventh spell of President’s rule witnessed Operation Bluestar, assassination of Indira Gandhi in Delhi, riots against Sikhs in many states and Union Territories, The spell, the longest until then, continued until September when the Akali Dal Govt headed by Mr Surjit Singh Barnala was installed in the state in 1985 after nearly 23 months of President’s rule.

The present and eighth spell started on May 11,1987, when the Akali Govt of Mr Surjit Singh Barnala was dismissed. The assembly was suspended and subsequently dissolved. The immediate provocation for President’s rule in the state, like the previous occasion, was the deteriorating law and order situation. Since then, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha had been meeting every six months to pass a Constitution Amendment Bill to extend President’s rule in the state.

NEW DELHI: Earlier, the Bihar Government took “all steps” to maintain law and order for BJP leader, Lal Krishna Advani’s, Rath Yatra in the state from Saturday, chief minister Laloo Prasad Yadav said here Thursday.

Yadav told reporters after a meeting with Advani, at which he urged the leader to cancel the Yatra in the state, that the proposed route of Mr Advani touched “highly sensitive” areas which were already tense, Asked if his govt would arrest Advani, Yadav said, “you will get the news on Oct 20, and then added: “arrests make political leaders more popular”.

Yadav also had a meeting with the prime minster Singh Thursday.

The chief minister said his govt would not compromise on question is relating to communalism. All steps were being taken to maintain peace and communal amity, he said.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 26, 1990