M A I N   N E W S

‘Sanjha Morcha’ formed
Chandumajra to be candidate
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 6 — The President of the Sarab Hind Shiromani Akali Dal, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, today announced that Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra would be the candidate of a “Sanjha morcha” consisting of nine political outfits for the Sunam bye-election. He also announced that Mr Ravi Inder Singh would be the Morcha’s candidate for the chief ministership of Punjab, changing the political scenario in the state.

Mr Kuldeep Singh Wadala, who has been named as a convener of the morcha, addressing a press conference in the presence of Mr Tohra, Mr Ravi Inder Singh, a number of MLAs and also leaders of the political outfits which became a part of the morcha today, said that during the Sunam byelection, Mr Parkash Singh Badal would be “dethroned” from the chief ministership and Mr Ravi Inder Singh would be installed in his place.

Mr Wadala said that Mr Ravi Inder Singh had been named the candidate for the chief ministership Mr Wadala said that the SHSAD, the Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic), the Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic), the Janata Party (Secular), the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Janata Dal, the Indian Kirti Samaj Party, the Marxist Communist Party of India and the Samajwadi Party were members of the morcha. The presidents of the state units of these parties, including Mr Harish Khanna, Mr Teja Singh Tiwana, Mr Darshan Singh Zida, Mr Prem Singh Bhangu and Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, were present at the press conference held in the Press Club here.

Mr Wadala said the politics of “parivarvad” (families) was a danger to democracy and it should be discouraged. He said the allocation of the SAD’s ticket to Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa, a son of Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, was wrong and the “Sanjha Morcha” would make this issue a main plank in the election campaign besides highlighting the failures of the Badal government.

Mr Tohra said that within three years of rule, the SAD’s image in the state had become more tarnished than that of the Congress which ruled the state for 40 years or so.

Mr Tohra said that all important national leaders, including four former Prime Ministers — Mr Chandra Shekhar, Mr Deve Gowda, Mr I.K. Gujral and Mr V.P. Singh — would address election meetings in support of Mr Chandumajra in the Sunam byelection. Besides, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav and some other leaders would also be invited to address election meetings. Mr Chandumajra would file his nomination papers on September 11. But his election offices would be inaugurated tomorrow.

Mr Tohra said that the CPM’s state secretary, Prof Balwant Singh, had assured his party’s support to Mr Chandumajra in this byelection. Mr Tohra appealed to Dr Joginder Dayal, secretary of the state unit of the CPI, and Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the Akali Dal (Amritsar), to extend their support to Mr Chandumajra.

Sunam voter must carry I-card
From S Satyanaryanan
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Sept 6 — The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr M. S. Gill, today made it clear that the voters in the Sunam Assembly Constituency must carry their photo identity cards for casting their votes during the bye-elections there on September 29 as “identification of all voters will be compulsory”.

“Identification of all voters will be compulsory and all voters are advised to carry their identity cards while going to cast their vote,” Dr Gill told The Tribune after a three-member Punjab Pradesh Congress (PPC) delegation led by a former State Minister and AICC member, Mr Mohinder Singh Gill, met the Chief Election Commissioner to urge him to not make the identity cards mandatory during the Sunam bye-poll.

However, Dr Gill said those who have not been issued the cards due to some reasons can prove their identity to the satisfaction of the Returning Officer by showing either their passport, driving licence, ration card, etc.

Soon after meeting the full-bench of the Election Commission here, the Congress delegation, comprising Mr Gill, Mr Surender Singla and Mr Rana Gurmit Sodhi, claimed that photo identity cards may not be made compulsory in the ensuing bye-elections to the Sunam assembly seat.

“We are of firm conviction that making photo identity cards a mandatory provision is illegal. We impressed upon Dr M. S. Gill, who agreed to our suggestion,” the AICC member Mohinder Singh Gill claimed.

“What will be the use of a voter identity card if a voter’s name is not there on the electoral roll?” he said.

Election Commissioners J. M. Lyngdoh and T. S. Krishnamurthy were also present at the meeting.

Stating that the compulsory use of cards and the electronic voting machines (EVMs) was successful in the last assembly elections in Haryana, the Chief Election Commissioner said, “I think Punjab should learn from the Haryana experience and be mentally prepared for the next assembly elections through EVMs and on the compulsory production of photo identity cards.”

“Sunam bye-elections will be the practice run for the next Assembly poll in Punjab,” he said, adding that the Commission’s aim is to conduct all future elections only through EVMs and on the production of identity cards.

Justifying the Election Commission’s decision, Dr Gill said the compulsory identification will help eliminate bogus voting and ensure free and fair elections.

Dr Gill pointed out that there were around 1,40,000 voters in the Sunam constituency out of which 70 to 80 per cent have already been issued identity cards.

He appealed to the voters in Sunam, who have not got their identity cards, to get their photo identity cards latest by September 14, the last date for issuance of cards who were left out in the earlier exercise.

On the complaint made by the Congress delegation about alleged misuse of government funds by the Badal Government to lure voters in total violation of the code of conduct, Dr Gill said “I made it clear to them that the Election Commission will look into any specific written complaint by them.”

“All steps are being taken to ensure free and fair elections and the Election Commissioner, Mr J. M. Lyngdoh, will personally supervise the Sunam bye-elections,” he said.

At the meeting, the Congress delegation had alleged that the Badal Government was misusing developmental funds by laying roads overnight in the Sunam constituency to lure voters.

The delegation also alleged that Mr Parkash Singh Badal was using the government helicopter for campaigning in Sunam, where the Union Sports Minister Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa’s son Mr Parminder Singh Dhindsa is the candidate of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal.

“To avoid the Election Commission’s reprimand, he (Mr Badal) lands in the government helicopter a few kilometres away from the Sunam constituency and then travels by car to reach the place of campaign... Is it not misuse of official machinery,” Mr Singla asked.