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Gujarat: EC urged to make independent assessment

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 25. Three Opposition parties, CPI(M), CPI and Janata Dal (Secular), today urged the Election Commission to make its own independent assessment and decide on the timing of the Assembly elections in Gujarat to ensure a free and fair poll.

Close on the heels of a BJP delegation calling on the EC yesterday, leaders of the three parties submitted a memorandum to the full Commission, stating that the move to dissolve the Gujarat Assembly was to pressurise the EC into holding early elections in the State. The present term of the House expires only in March 2003.

Referring to the prolonged communal violence in the State, the memorandum said that thousands of people had lost their kith and kin in the carnage, their homes were destroyed and there was no possibility of these people pursuing any vocation or occupation whatsoever.

"The process of rehabilitation of these victims is very tardy and suffers from the very same communal prejudice that fuelled the carnage in the first place'', it said.

The leaders said the Constitution enjoins upon the EC to hold free and fair elections, which will ensure that the will of the people is properly reflected. "How can this be possible when the Muslim community has been subjected to the worst forms of violence and terror?''

They said thousands of people were still in relief camps as their houses had been destroyed. "When voters cannot return to their localities, how can they cast their votes? When the fundamental right to life and liberty cannot be ensured, how can the right of adult franchise be fairly exercised?" the memorandum asked.

The leaders said that in their opinion, Article 174 does not make it mandatory for the elections to be held so that the newly-elected House can meet within six months of the earlier Assembly session.

They said the constitutional provision stipulates that the same Assembly is required to meet not later than six months of its earlier session and this could not be interpreted in any other way. The EC, it is understood, would be sending its observers to the State.

The delegation included the CPI(M) general secretary, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, his CPI counterpart, A.B. Bardhan, the JD(S) chief, H.D. Deve Gowda, CPI(M) politburo member, Sitaram Yechury, and CPI national secretary, D. Raja.

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