No Change In Punjab Poll Schedule

The Election Commission yesterday rejected demand for a review of the poll schedule in Punjab and announced that the programme for the February 6 elections remains unaltered.

This was decided by the commission after a review meeting with the cabinet secretary, home secretary and heads of central paramilitary forces.

Chief election commissioner M S Gill and election commissioner G V Krishnamurty told newsmen that the commission had received representation from some political parties for shifting the date of poll towards end of February and several counter representations urging that the schedule already announced by it should be adhered to without any change.

The commission has considered all such representations and after taking into account all relevant factors it has decided that in the totality of circumstances there is no justification to review or change the poll schedule for the state assembly already announced. The schedule therefore remains unaltered, they said.

The commissions rejection comes in the wake of criticism of its decision by various parties including the Congress and Left parties who felt that the commission had taken a unilateral decision without consulting them.

Punjab chief minister Rajendra Kaur Bhattal had, in a representation to the commission, sought postponement of the election on the ground that the government apprehended mischief by ISI and demanded deployment of 515 companies of paramilitary forces to ensure free and fair election.

Cabinet secretary T S R Subramaniam denied that the Centre had sought any postponement of the election while home secretary K Padmanabhaiah said they had merely passed on the representation received from the state government to the commission.

Krishnamurty said he would be visiting Chandigarh on January 10 for reviewing the electoral preparedness of the state machinery.

The election commisioner said that he would have meetings with the state chief secretary, chief electoral officer, the director general of police, deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of all districts. He would also meet the Governor.