The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, August 17, 2002, Chandigarh, India

M A I N N E W S

Full EC panel to visit J & K tomorrow
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 16
The full three-member Election Commission panel, led by Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh, will tour Jammu and Kashmir, beginning August 18, to assess the preparations for the coming four-phased Assembly poll there.

Mr Lyngdoh, who will be accompanied by election commissioners T.S. Krishnamurthy and B.B. Tandon, will review the progress regarding “high security” voter identity cards, voter slips and updating of electoral rolls, commission sources told The Tribune tonight.

The EC panel, during its two-day tour, would also review the security and other arrangements, including arrangements for the Press, setting up of polling stations and training of voters on how to use electronic voting machines.

According to the sources, the EC panel decided to tour Jammu and Kashmir as it was unhappy over the slow pace of issuance of voter identity cards and also non-implementation of its directions by some Deputy Commissioners.

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Nod to poll reform ordinance
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 16
The Union Cabinet today approved the promulgation of an ordinance on electoral reforms seeking to curb criminalisation of politics.

An official spokesperson said at the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal to amend the Act by promulgating the ordinance under Article 123 of the Constitution.

It also approved the issuance of a notification for amending nomination forms under the Conduct of Election Rules.

The legislation to amend the Representation of People’s Act, on the basis of a consensus among all parties, could not be tabled in Parliament due to the premature end of the monsoon session on August 12 as the proceedings were paralysed over the petrol station allotment issue, she said.

Two rounds of meetings of all parties had unanimously rejected the contentious clause in the draft electoral reforms Bill to bar persons against whom charges had been framed in two cases of heinous crime from contesting elections.

Following the unanimity of opinion expressed by all parties, the provision of disqualification of candidates being charge-sheeted or charged of criminal offence was dropped.

The parties also decided that every elected member would have to file his assets and liabilities to the Lok Sabha Speaker and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

The proposed ordinance was vital for the Jammu and Kashmir elections scheduled for September-October this year.