Karnataka - Mysore   

JD(S) criticises EC directive; Congress welcomes it

Special Correspondent

It is unconstitutional, says JD(S) spokesperson

MYSORE: The Election Commission's (EC) directive to all non-local politicians and activists to leave the constituency 36 hours before the commencement of the bypoll in the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency has raised a storm in political circles.

It has come under flak from the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress has welcomed it.

JD (S) spokesperson R.G. Narasimha Iyengar, who is an advocate and former Mayor, said the directive was not only unprecedented, but it was unconstitutional and violated the spirit of Article 19 of the Constitution which guaranteed certain fundamental rights including the right to free movement in the country.

The directive amounted to mass "externment" of responsible persons although this was applicable only to anti-social elements whose presence might lead to law and order problem. None of the political parties had received the directive in writing and hence it could not be enforced, he said.

Although the EC was issuing such directive, the law or the relevant Act on the basis of which the directive was issued, had not been cited, it was pointed out.

Deputy Commissioner S. Selvakumar, who is also District Election Officer, said that the directive asking non-local political leaders and activists to vacate the constituency was "specific to this byelection."

"Although the EC's directive applied only to the constituency, we had implied it to mean the district," he said.

The Congress leaders including the former Chief Minister Dharam Singh and AICC general secretary Narayanaswamy said they welcomed the Election Commission move and said this would ensure the conduct of free and fair elections in Chamundeshwari.

Kharge's demand

Interestingly, the Election Commission's directive was preceded a few days earlier by a similar demand by KPCC president Mallikarjun Kharge who had challenged the JD (S) leaders to leave the constituency and allow only those in the fray to slug it out in the electoral battle.

"We in the Congress too will leave the constituency and let the candidates campaign on their own," Mr. Kharge had said.

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