NEW DELHI: The Indian government’s proposal to debar those pleading for a separate country for themselves from electoral process has proved a damp squib.
Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao who held consultations with major opposition party leaders Last week to seek their support to the proposed bill on the subject appears to have been disappointed and the talks have been abruptly discontinued.
Delhi’s proposals included amendments to Representation of People Act as well in the Indian Constitution to authorize returning officers who are mostly junior government officers to disqualify any candidate from seeking election if he is satisfied after a summary enquiry on a written complaint and for reasons to be recorded in writing that the candidate has earned disqualification on account of his having undermined the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India through a statement in the media or otherwise or through any action.
Opposition leaders who responded to Rao’s invitation for talks disfavored the amendments and said that these would lead to disqualification of almost all Akali candidates.in Punjab and would defeat the government’s desire to bring into the Indian mainstream the fringe Akali groups as distinct from militants.
B.J.P. chief L.K.Advani said that al present the power to disqualify a candidate rested either with high courts or with the election campaign which were statutory body’s not under the government. Any extension of these powers to petty government officers will be undesirable and will be misused.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 6, 1991
