NEW DELHI: The south Indian state of Tamil Nadu and union territory of Pondicherry will have assembly election simultaneously with the mid-term Parliamentary polls in the second half of May chief election commissioner T N Seshan announced on Wednesday.

Seshan told newsmen that the commission had accepted the recommendation by the union government to hold elections to the 234 member Tamil Nadu and 33 member Pondicherry assemblies.

While the president’s Tule in Tamil Nadu expires on July 29 central rule in the union territory of Pondicherry comes to an end in early July.

The Tamil Nadu assembly was dissolved and president’s rule imposed in the state on January 30 after the center took a serious view of the alleged failure of the Karunanidhi government to contain activities of the Sri Lanka Tamil militant organisation LTTE in the state.

Pondicherry was brought under central rule on January 12 after the chief minister Ramachandran sent in his resignation. Pondicherry assembly which was kept under suspended animation was dissolved on March 4.

Seshan made it clear though the commission was prepared to hold Parliamentary Sabha and assembly polls in all parts of the country the decision for conducting elections in the states under president’s rule would depend to a large extent on the center’s assessment of the law and order situation there.

Asked about the consideration that would weigh with the commission for deciding the poll dates Seshan said the EC was carrying out an extensive exercise to avoid clashing of dates with as many national and local festivals as possible

We would also like to save as many children’s examinations as possible he said

On the crucial law and order requirements including deployment of para-military forces Seshan said he was discussing these vital issues at length with union home secretary R K Bhargava.

Seshan -announced the commission’s decision to review the status of national and state level recognised political parties annually after analysing the poll statistics. The review would be held on June 30 every year irrespective of the fact whether it was an election year or not he said.

He said last review of status of political parties was done in 1982 and since then no such exercise had been carried out as election commission had to organise polls nearly every year.

He said the commission considered as not an opportune moment to carry out a review now in view of the forthcoming midterm polls.

Asked about by-elections for vacant assembly seats Seshan said the commission proposed to hold polls in25 assembly constituencies including Meham in the north Indian state of Haryana.

To another question Seshan said this was perhaps the first time that the president of India had set a deadline (of June 5) for convening of the Lok Sabha.

Asked as to what would happen if the elections could not be held by that time due to unforeseen circumstances Seshan said then it would be for the president to take a decision.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 29, 1991