Congress rejects demand for postponement of poll dates

Khanduri is trying to cling on to power for some more days, says spokesperson.

Congress today rejected a demand by the ruling BJP to postpone polls in view of the wintry conditions. Chief election commissioner Y S Qureshi is here for a two-day visit to review arrangements for January 30 Assembly elections in Uttarakhand.

Making its stand clear on the issue, state Congress spokesman Surendra Kumar said the demand by the ruling BJP to postpone elections was necessary because chief minister B C Khanduri wants to enjoy power for some more days and asserted that the party is ready to face elections in January itself.

“The writing on the wall is clear. Congress will come to power with a thumping majority,” said Kumar. “As Khanduri has already sensed a defeat, he is now trying to cling on to power for some more days,” said Kumar.

Congress’ statement came after Khanduri had demanded postponement of elections on the account of intense wintry conditions in the month of January especially in high altitude areas.

Meanwhile, Qureshi began his two-day visit to the hill state this evening. Besides meeting top political leaders from various parties, Qureshi along with other election commissioners would also hold discussions with top administrative officials including director general of Police (DGP) J S Pandey and chief secretary Subhash Kumar, an official spokesman said.

Qureshi met state chief election officer Radha Raturi and discussed various modalities for the smooth conduct of the elections.

Taking the process of electoral reforms forward, the election commission has already devised a multi-pronged strategy to check growing influence of money power as well as paid news and also cut rising expenditures in the coming Assembly polls.

The commission has taken a series of new steps for the better conduct of the elections which includes banning the counters of political parties outside election booths and disallowing all the alternative documents except voter identity cards and voter slips during polling.

Uttarakhand will become the first state where the voter slips will be issued by the election commission itself. The commission has also embarked on a tough monitoring system to check money power where candidates will have to open a separate bank account for the purpose of election expenditures.

All the candidates will have to show the details of such accounts to the returning officers thrice during the election period.

The limit of the election spending has now been raised to Rs 11 lakh from Rs 8 lakh and all this money will be operated through the separate bank account.