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Defer the elections

Sir, — This has reference to your Editorial "Coercive tactics" (Aug. 13). An impartial analysis of the Chief Election Commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh's visit to Gujarat and his reported remarks clearly show that the CEC himself is not sure whether the riot-victims would be in a position to exercise their franchise. He can defer the elections with or without assigning any reason.

S.T. Rajagopalan,

Chennai

Sir, — That elections are the last thing on the minds of the riot victims in Gujarat, most of whom have lost their home and families, has been wilfully ignored by the BJP. With the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, slowly distancing himself from party affairs and the recent reorganisational moves reaffirming the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani's pre-eminence in the party, it is doubtful whether the grievances of the victims will be heard at all.

The Election Commission's job is to see that a maximum number of bona fide voters participate in the elections. Mr. Lyngdoh and Dr. Kalam should also visit Jammu and Kashmir before the elections there.

B.S. Ganesh,

Bangalore

Sir, — The CEC's recent remarks on Gujarat raises questions regarding the credibility of his assessment. How can the EC come to a conclusion about the situation in the whole State only by visiting Ahmedabad and Vadodara and a few constituencies? By visiting only the two cities, the EC has indirectly agreed that the situation is normal in the rest of the State.

It seems as though the EC has fallen prey to the Opposition campaign against the Gujarat Government. When it can have special polling booths for the Kashmiri migrants, why not have them for the Gujarat riot-victims within the State itself? If the minorities do not have confidence in the Government, the elections will give them an opportunity to elect a Government of their choice.

Ramprasad,

Bangalore

Sir, — There can be no two opinions about the right of the Election Commission to visit the riot-affected areas of Gujarat to verify whether conditions are conducive for holding free and fair elections.

But was it really necessary for Mr. Lyngdoh to display his eminent constitutional status by publicly rebuking and snapping at the Collector and other local officials of Vadodara in the presence of the media and the public? Instead, the Election Commissioners should have met them in private and ascertained the real position. One cannot help feeling that the CEC was hankering for publicity through a visible display of temper against bureaucrats who cannot answer back. Probably, Mr. Lyngdoh wanted to show that he could be as abrasive as a former CEC?

S. Gurumurthy,

Chennai

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• A crisis of her own making
• Governance failures
• Burying the legacy of Partition
• Judiciary: a reform agenda — II
• Defer the elections
• Conducted tour?
• Whither unanimity?

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