Ec May Call For Conscience Vote In Presidential Polls

There were indications yesterday that the Election Commission will ask voters during the presidential election to vote independently, as per their conscience. A formal announcement to this effect is likely to be issued once the notification for the election is issued on June 9.

Chief election commissioner M S Gill yesterday announced that the election will be held on July 14. The last date for nominations is June 23; the date of scrutiny is June 24 and the last date for withdrawal is June 26. Counting of votes will take place on July 17.

Gill said election commissioner GVG Krishnamurthy circulated an extensive document on whether the voters should vote independent of their party line, and said the matter had been deliberated within the commission.

 

A booklet brought out by the commission included the 1974 ruling of the Supreme Court which directs the voters for the presidential election to act as independent electors.

Gill said it was mandatory on the part of the commission that the election to the high office was free and fair. The commission will take all necessary steps to discharge its responsibility, Gill said.

The issue whether voters for the election should vote independently or according to the party whip is a contentious one. Several leaders believe that voting in the presidential election is very much a political activity, and fell well within the purview of a political party.

A senior Congress leader said in the absence of a consensus N Sanjeeva Reddy has been the only candidate elected without a contest in 1977 political parties would very much like their voters to vote for a particular candidate.

Political parties like the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are unlikely to accept the commission directing their respective voters to vote independetly.

The five-year term of S D Sharma expires on July 24.

Gill, who spoke to newsmen in the presence of colleagues Krishnamurty and J M Lyngdoh, said the commission had decided to appoint the secretary-general of the Lok Sabha as the returning officer for the presidential poll.

Assistant returning officers would be appointed in all states and Union territories for making arrangements for conduct of the poll and transportation of ballot boxes and other important documents to and from the commission.

Gill said 29 senior officers of the Union government would be appointed as observers at various places of polling.

The electoral college for the presidential election is 4,848 members 543 members of the Lok Sabha, 233 of the Rajya Sabha and 4,072 of the state assemblies. For the first time, members of the assemblies of Delhi and the Union territory of Pondicherry would be casting their votes in a presidential election.