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Deve Gowda lodges protest with CEC over directive to JD(S)

Special Correspondent

Terms the directive "draconian, undemocratic and unheard of''

NEW DELHI: Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda on Sunday lodged a protest with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) over the latest directive issued by the commission banning distribution of identification slips to voters in the Chamundeswari Assembly constituency in the State where byelection will take place on Monday.

In a letter to the CEC, he termed the directive "draconian, undemocratic and unheard of'' and said Section 126 of the Representation of People's Act, which prohibited holding of public meetings in any polling area for 48 hours preceding the period fixed for the conclusion of polls, in no way restricted the movement of party workers or distribution of voters' slips in the constituency.

Pointing out than an additional 54 polling booths have been added to the existing 292 booths in the constituency and in several areas, the location of polling booths have been shifted, he said that in the absence of any provision being made by the commission to educate the voters about their polling booths, it became imperative on the part of political parties to create electoral awareness.

"Preventing political workers from discharging this democratic duty and responsibility would tantamount to depriving and denying the electorate their legitimate right to vote and elect a candidate of their choice in a free and fair manner," he said.

Mr. Deve Gowda also protested against another directive issued by the commission asking non-local leaders, including himself and his son and Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, to leave the constituency on the basis of a petition filed by his party that some parties were harbouring anti-social elements and criminals in community halls, and other places.

Stating that legitimate leaders and workers should not be penalised from discharging their responsibilities, he said the unprecedented step was being taken even when no party had lodged any complaint with the police. He criticised the commission for giving a "clean chit'' to the Election Observer for the constituency, Raymond Peter, and termed the comparative statistics provided by the panel on the number of cases filed against the Congress and the JD(S) "nothing short of an eyewash''. "Clearly, the motive of the said observer was to project as if the ruling party was solely and fully engaged in the misuse of State machinery against a `winning candidate' (Siddaramaiah of the Congress),'' he said.

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