NEW DELHI:” Appropriate” amendments in election laws to debar individuals and political parties from participating in elections will precede cancellation of the Punjab elections and a fresh notification to hold the poll, it is authoritatively learnt.
The Prime Minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, is credited with the view that holding elections without suitably amending the Jaw will amount to playing into militants hands who may try to convert the elections into a referendum on Khalistan.
Mr. Rao has held talks with his cabinet colleagues and leaders of the Punjab Congress (I) during the past few days on his government’s Punjab policy. The feedback he has received is that the Congress (I) will be able to give a good account of itself in the elections if a situation is created to enable the party to participate in them.
Several Punjab Congress (I) leaders, who called on the Prime Minister on Wednesday and had in depth discussions with the latter on the Punjab situation for about 45 minutes, are believed to have impressed on Mr. Rao the need to cancel the poll and the issuance of a fresh election schedule. Party sources say Mr. Rao’s response was that such measures would bring the party to public ridicule. The Prime Minister pointed out that the rationale behind Mr. Rajiv Gandhi’s decision with which he was in full agreement, to boycott the poll was that Congress (I)’s participation in the elections under the present law would lend legitimacy to militants’ attempt to convert the poll into a referendum on Khalistan, The law must be amended to prevent such elements from contesting the poll, he is believed to have insisted.
The Prime Minister does not envisage any problem in getting through the proposed legislation on the election laws as no major political party is likely to oppose the move to debar secessionists’ elements from contesting elections. It will be a time consuming exercise but the Center does not appear to be in a great hurry to restore the democratic Process in the state, despite tall claims to the contrary. In fact, the ruling party is convinced that its interests will not be hurt if the elections are held after September 25 as stipulated by the Election Commission at the time of postponing the poll.
Mr. Rao is not against cancellation Of the Poll but he does not want to act in haste, He is consulting legal experts to find out the best course available to the government. For the present, legal opinion is divided. One view is that the government has the inherent power to annul the elections others know that an amendment to the election law is necessary for cancelling the poll.
Punjab congress (I ) leaders are believed to have assured Mr. Rao that the congress (I ) was in a position to emerge as the single largest party in the Punjab assembly was not exactly helpful to Congressmen in the state and wanted Mr. Rao to select a Congressman as the General’s successor. The Prime Minister, insiders say, responded by telling his party men that it was possible to appoint a Congressman as Governor but no Governor would like to be pro-Congress (I) as the head of the state was required to be seen to be independent.
Meanwhile, the chances of seat adjustment among “nationalist” parties have receded. The proposal, initially mooted by the CPI, that all nationalist parties must join hands to fight elections against secessionist elements, had evoked good response from the Congress (I), BJP, JD, and CPM. But the Congress (I) boycotted the poll and the CPM “Retired” from the contest a few weeks later. The Congress (I) and the BJP, which are the two major parties having considerable influence in urban areas, are finding it difficult to reconcile their claims over seats. High hopes aroused in the Congress (I) camp with the party returning to power at the Center and the BJP’s appetite having been whetted by an understanding are rather low.
The Left parties are, however, likely to work out a deal with the Congress (I) to put up a joint front”. The BJP and the Akali Dal (Badal), may Work out an understanding Capt Amarinder Singh’s faction is acceptable to both groups.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 12, 1991
