FARIDABAD: The Janata Dal today completed the legal formalities for recognition by the Election Commission with its constituents the Janata Party and the Lok Dal formally ratifying their a merger.
The erstwhile Janata Party headed by Mr. Ajit Singh and the Lok Dal led by the Haryana Chief Minister Mr, Devi Lal at their general body meetings adopted Resolutions unanimously approving the amalgamation.
The respective meetings of the two parties also adopted resolutions expressing allegiance to the Principles of socialism secularism and democracy as required by the amended Representation of the People Act of 1951 for recognition by the Election Commission as a full-fledged political party.
After the adoption of the resolutions the two merger parties met together under the banner of Janata Dal and ratified the Dal’s draft constitution.
The Janata Dal stalwarts who ‘were present included Mr. V.P. Singh, Mr Devi Lal, Mr. Ajit Singh, Mr Chandra Shekhar, Mr. George Fernandez, Prof Madhu Dandavate, Mr Biju Patnaik Mr. S. Jaipal Reddy, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kerala Education Minister Chandrasekar, Mr. Chimanbhai Patel Mrs. Mrinal Gore, Mr. Thampan Thomas, Mr. Aranglil Sreedaran Mr. Surendra Mohan and Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan.
According to the Dal’s Legal Advisor J.P. Goyal, though the party was already in existence defacto today’s exercise became necessary to fulfill the legal formalities.
He explained that under a Supreme Court ruling of 1977 any merger of major decision concerning the political parties should be ratified by the general body of their members.
Similarly he said the amendment Representation of the People Act made it obligatory for a political party to owe allegiance to the principles of socialism, secularism and democracy.
Mr Goyal said with the General bodies of both the Janata Party and the Lok Dal ratifying the merger there was no hitch left in the Election Commission formally recognizing the Janata Dal as a political party.
The case for its recognition and allotment of the Janata Party symbol to it is already before the Commission.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 14, 1989
