We got back our legitimate claim, says CPI(M)

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 29. The CPI(M) is being intimated by the Election Commission of its decision to give back the national status to the party after recent amendments by the poll panel liberalised the election symbols order.

A letter conferring the national status to CPI(M) was being sent by the Commission. ``The CPI(M) has got back its national status,'' the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M. S. Gill, told reporters here today. The CPI(M) had applied for getting back its recognition as a national party after the Commission amended and liberalised the symbols order on December 8. The three-member panel approved the party's request on December 22.

Welcoming the decision, the CPI(M) politburo member, Mr. Prakash Karat, said the party had got back its ``legitimate claim.'' He said the party had contested the derecognition by the Commission and put forward its claim before the poll panel. The decision was based on the new criteria under the symbols order and the party was entitled to the restoration of its status. The party has 32 members in the Lok Sabha from four States and it heads Governments in three States.

Indicating that the Commission would deal with the CPI(M) request judicially if the party applied for the national status again, the CEC had earlier said that the party had been derecognised on the basis of its poll performance in the 1999 general elections. After the Commission liberalised the election symbols order, it became clear that CPI(M) would stand to benefit from it.

Under the liberalised order, the poll panel had stated that a political party could get the national status if it bagged six per cent of the valid votes polled in any four or more states in a Lok Sabha election or polls to a State Assembly. Besides, the party has to win at least four Lok Sabha seats from any State or States or win two per cent seats in the Lok Sabha and that they are elected from at least three different states. The CEC had said that the purpose of the notification amending the symbols order was to ``simplify, straighten out and liberalise'' the system. In another significant development, the Commission has got full disciplinary jurisdiction over officials deputed for conducting polls. The Commission would now have powers to suspend or substitute any public servant, including police officers, for dereliction of duty or insubordination while on election duty.

Dr. Gill said the Centre has issued a detailed directive to the State Governments and Union Territories explaining the disciplinary functions of the Commission over officers, staff and police personnel deputed to perform election duties.

``It is not that we in the Commission feel happy in suspending some people. We need some effective authority for a very temporary period over staff on poll duty. I am happy that this is something good for the country's Constitution,'' he said.

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Section  : National
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