Former CECs call for fewer phases of polls
NEW DELHI: THEY ALSO PITCHED FOR RESULTS FROM EVMS AND VVPATS BE TALLIED IN MORE THAN ONE POLLING STATION IN EVERY CONSTITUENCY
Former chief election commissioners (CECs) have called for the elections process to be shortened and voting not be staggered over several phases even as they pitched for greater transparency at a roundtable here on Monday.
They also called for results from electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPATs), be tallied in more than one polling station per constituency, a statement issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) said.
The model code of conduct kicks in the moment election dates are announced and remains in place until the counting day. During this period, the government is barred from making an announcement that can influence voters and impact poll outcome.
“Ideally the entire election process should not exceed 46 days. However, in some cases the MCC (model code of conduct) has been implemented for a longer duration, since the elections were held in several phases,” an official privy to the developments said, requesting anonymity.
Though the poll panel maintains the conduct code does not hamper governance, political parties have complained that the provision slows down administrative work.
The conduct code is one of the reasons cited by the ruling BJP while making a pitch for simultaneous Lok Sabha and state elections. “There was a view that unless the state going to polls is very big or there are law and order concerns, the election should not be spread over several phases,” the official said.
Barring Uttar Pradesh that voted in seven phases, voting was done in a single day for most assembly elections in 2017.
The former commissioners also favoured increasing the number of polling stations where the count from EVMs is tallied with the VVPAT machines, another official said. MS Gill, JM Lyngdoh, TS Krishna Murthy, BB Tandon, SY Quraishi, VS Sampath, HR Bramha, Nasim Zaidi and GVG Krishnamurty attended the meeting.
With a mere 37 seats against 78 of its coalition partner and amidst intense lobbying for various portfolios and other perks, one would have expected Karnataka CM designate HD Kumaraswamy to have his hands full in delicate negotiations. But since BS Yeddyurappa announced on the floor of the house that he would resign, a jubilant Kumaraswamy has been on a serial temple-hopping spree. He went to first pay obeisance to the Vokkaliga Swami Nirmalananda who heads the Adichunchungiri mutt. This was his way of also signalling to his community that his first priority and fealty are in the right place. Next, he visited the Srirangam temple. He then flew to his home town Hassan to visit four more temples before flying to Delhi.
Former chief minister Siddaramaiah might have lost face after losing his own seat of Chamundeshwari and barely squeaking through in Badami. However, the party high command seems to have liked his combative style of taking on the BJP, which is why he has been made the Congress Legislature Party leader. Siddaramaiah will also be the chief co-ordinator with the JD(S) in ensuring smooth running of the coalition government. While Siddaramaiah has been declaiming that this would be his last election, he now seems to be interested in ensuring a good political future for his son Yatindra.
While he doesn’t want to be seen to be seen pleading his son’s case, if reports are to be believed, the former CM has got his supporters, including several legislators , to demand a ministerial berth for his son. Since Yatindra is a trained pathologist, Siddaramaiah’s supporters are demanding that he be given the health ministry.