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Gill promises early decision on poll

A decision on the dates for the Lok Sabha election will be taken "very soon", Chief Election Commissioner Manohar Singh Gill said in New Delhi today.

Gill said he had heard the views of the representatives of various political parties and the commission would take a decision in the larger interest of the nation to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.

Gill said some political parties were in favour of having the election in June, while others said it should be held in September or October.

Some parties also wanted the elections to some state assemblies to be held along with the Lok Sabha poll. Nine states are due to go to the polls by March 2000. Besides, Goa is under President's rule and the Centre does not want to prolong it beyond August 9.

The CEC said today's meeting with political parties was held in a cordial atmosphere. Another such meeting to discuss election-related issues in detail will be called.

At the meeting, the Bharatiya Janata Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Marumalarchi DMK, Pattali Makkal Katchi, Biju Janata Dal, Telugu Desam Party, Shiv Sena, Samata Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, National Conference, Haryana Vikas Party, All-India Trinamul Congress and some other parties favoured an early election, preferably in June.

The Congress, Communist Party of India, CPI (Marxist), Bahujan Samaj Party, Janata Dal, Asom Gana Parishad, Kerala Congress, KC (Mani), Muslim League, Manipur People's Party, Janata Party, United Minorities Front, United Democratic Party, Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya), Tamil Mannila Congress, Arunachal Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Republican Party of India, Indian National Congress (Socialist), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Himachal Vikas Congress, All-India Forward Block, Revolutionary Socialist Party and some other parties opposed to an early election.

They proposed that the election should be held only after the process of revision of electoral rolls is completed.

The commission noted that all state parties in the North-East unanimously opted for an election at the end of September or in the first week of October in view of the weather conditions in the region.

As regards the plea to conduct assembly elections in some states with the Lok Sabha poll, the Congress, the CPI, Sikkim Democratic Front, Shiromani Akali Dal, APP, MPP, Kerala Congress, United Goans Democratic Party, JMM, NTR Telugu Desam Party, Federal Party of Manipur, BJD, Himachal Vikas Congress and some other parties spoke in favour of it.

But the BJP, Shiv Sena and TDP were opposed to holding Lok Sabha and assembly polls simultaneously.

Addressing the meeting, Gill said the election had been forced on the country. He pointed out that from 1952, all elections barring the second stage of polling in 1991 had been held between November and May. But now the commission is faced with the difficult task of choosing a date.

Conducting an election requires massive and meticulous staff planning, by organising four million polling staff and arranging and deploying several thousands of central forces.

He said the revision of electoral rolls is on. Political parties also need time to prepare for the elections. The commission will take into account the financial aspects, including procurement of papers, and other materials.

UNI

Eight North-East parties stay away from EC meeting

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