Poll code does not stop development: Gill
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 3 — The Chief Election Commissioner, Mr M. S. Gill, today said it was a "misrepresentation" that the voluntary code of conduct for political parties stopped all development works in the states going to the polls.

The Commission's intention was clear: a level playing field for the political party in power and the opposition parties in the fray. All legitimate development must go on. What the Commission discouraged was "unfair" advantage a ruling party takes during the campaign. Through poll-time the commission received clarifications and queries as to what could be and what could not be done. "Ours is a constructive approach and every time an item is received by the Commission proper application of mind is done."

Mr Gill was addressing a news conference at Haryana Niwas after a "review" of the progress of issuing election photo identity cards and on computerisation of electoral rolls, constituency-wise, and preparing CD-ROMs of the same.

Besides the Chief Secretary, Haryana, Mr R.S. Verma, others present included the Chief Electoral Officers of Haryana and Punjab, Mr Chander Singh and Mr R.L. Kapur, respectively, and the Deputy Commissioner of Chandigarh Union Territory, Mr R.K. Rao.

Mr Gill said in the ensuing assembly elections in four states scheduled for November 25, electronic voting machines would be used in at least 16 urban constituencies in Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Literacy was a hurdle in the use of the machines, though the same were purchased to effect efficacy in the system. The Commission had discussed the deployment of these machines during the regular meetings it held with 43 recognised parties. The relationship between the Commission and political parties was one of "cooperation."

Mr Gill remarked that he had floated "an idea" when he suggested that a Chief Minister should step down before a poll was held in his state to ensure fair play. The ultimate decision lay with the people, the electorate.

On photo identity cards, the CEC said the Commission would be happy if it was made a "multipurpose" card for, namely, issuing of a ration card or a passport, registration or issuing of a driving licence. the Home Ministry was examining a proposal of ensuring every genuine Indian citizen possessed an identity card. The election photo identity cards would be issued to at least 60 crore voters that India had.

Mr Gill lauded the work done by Haryana in respect of photo identity cards as well as computerisation of the electoral rolls, constituency wise and preparing CD-ROMs. He was presented with a set of CD-ROMs. He was optimistic that different political parties would make use of the electoral rolls and ensure the same were correct and clean. Haryana had 90 assembly constituencies with 1,10,23,612 electors out of whom 86.3 per cent have i.d. cards. The work has been done by Hartron, a state government undertaking.

Turning to Punjab, Mr Gill gave the state a rap for its slow work. With ESPL, the state corporation entrusted with the job, having failed to perform Punjab had not made alternate arrangements. "Having taken up the issue at the highest level but to no effect, I will today like to say that Punjab is lagging behind. No progress is visible. The state is in the habit of diverting funds from the intended purpose. Therefore, it better not do the same with Commission money meant for the purpose it has been given", he warned.

In Chandigarh, which had one parliamentary constituency, out of a total of 532,168 voters, 374,859 have been issued photocards. The administration has set up 11 centres for the purpose of photo cards. It had a contract with Haryana's Hartron with on-line facilities. It had completed computerisation of voter's list before the 1998 general elections to the Lok Sabha.

With not many people coming forward for cards, it had given the impression that a "saturation" point had been reached. A possible reason could be migration of the floating population. "The cards is a continuous updating process just like the electoral rolls", he added.