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Karnataka elections may take place sooner than expected |
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The full Election Commission is visiting Karnataka on March 4 to oversee the poll preparations for Assembly elections. The state is under President’s rule at present. The spell of President’s rule will end on May 28, unless it is extended.
In the normal course, elections should have been held before the expiry of President’s rule but uncertainty has arisen because of notification of the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission which has redrawn the political map of the country.
But observers say that Karnataka could still going to polls by mid-May as there is a valid short cut prescribed under the election laws in such cases. Rule 24 of the Registration of Electors Rules 1960 provides for bypassing the lengthy delimitation procedure involving redrawing of constituencies, particularly reorganization of the polling stations and preparation and finalization of fresh rolls. The rule provides that where urgently needed, the new rolls can be prepared by ‘cut and paste’ from the existing electoral rolls to fit the new dispensation.
“After the delimitation of seats was notified by the Cabinet and cleared by the President, it was assumed that the elections in Karnataka would be put off by at least six to eight months. The EC, however, has given a more abbreviated time-frame. It says the separation of polling booths can be done in as little time as a month or less,” said a top source in the party.
Observers say, it is no secret that the Congress had been hoping to put off elections in the state, giving time for the sympathy wave in favour of the BJP to dissipate.
The notification of delimitation was expected to prolong President’s Rule in the state, but sources in the Congress say indications from the EC, especially Chief Election Commissioner Gopalaswami, make it clear that the excuse may not work.
“It is merely a question of moving polling booths from one constituency to another, a short-order clerical job,” said a source in the EC. In fact, work is already on to update electoral rolls in the state.
The rolls and other administrative work is set to be completed long before the term of President’s Rule in the state is to expire in May.
The BJP had already petitioned the Election Commission to expedite work on re-allocation of polling booths, or hold elections under the previous notification of seats.
The Congress is firm that the Karnataka Assembly elections have to be held under the new notification. “There are constitutional provisions supporting both points of view,” said an EC official.
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