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Gill concerned over reports of money power used in RS elections

Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill today expressed concern over the reported use of money power in the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha held yesterday in some states.

Speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Dr Gill said he was satisfied with the peaceful and smooth conduct of the biennial elections, but he was worried about the use of money power in some states as reported in newspapers. ''The members of the Rajya Sabha were called elders as they were supposed to give wise counsel and function as a check on the lower house -- the Lok Sabha -- so far as the Constitution was concerned," he said.

It was not possible for the Election Commission to detect use of money power in the Rajya Sabha elections, he said, and added, "The recognised national and regional parties must ensure self-restraint and draw a lakshman rekha and observe it strictly."

Dr Gill said all by-elections to the assemblies concerned were held before the Rajya Sabha poll to ensure that no assembly remained without a single representative of the people who would elect members to the upper house. Although there was a six-month deadline to fill up a vacancy in the assemblies and Parliament, the commission held elections much earlier, he added.

Calling for electoral reforms before assembly elections are held in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram later this year, Dr Gill said he had reservations about the proposal mooted at a meeting of the representatives of all political parties convened by the government to reduce the age of candidates to contest elections to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The proposal was to reduce the age of a candidate for the Rajya Sabha to 25 and that of the Lok Sabha to 18. He wondered how could persons of this young age, if elected to the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, become cabinet ministers and discharge their constitutional duties faithfully and sincerely, as they would lack experience and knowledge.

The commission had received the report on the proposals from the government and would respond to it before July, he added.

Meanwhile, the commission has decided to convene a meeting of the state election commissioners entrusted with the task of conducting elections to local bodies including panchayats. The purpose was to ensure what kind of relationship could be established with them and the nature of assistance that could be given to them in holding elections. The commission was aware that the state election commissions were independent of the Election Commission of India. Many state election commissioners and leaders of political parties had conveyed to him the problems in conducting elections to local bodies, he said, and appreciated the Punjab state election commissioner for registering criminal cases against several returning officers who were holding the offices of block development officers. He had taken a courageous step to ensure free and fair elections, Dr Gill said.

He also stressed the need for computerising and preparing proper electoral rolls for all states. If this was done, all parties would be able to ascertain who were the genuine voters. Appreciating the work done in Himachal Pradesh in this regard, Dr Gill said the commission was trying to ensure that the states where assembly polls would be held this year, prepare proper electoral rolls and issue photo identity cards. Election commissioners and other senior officials were visiting the states for this purpose. To discuss this and other issues, a meeting of the chief electoral officers would be held in august, Dr Gill said.

UNI

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