The Hindu : Front Page : Hold elections in Karnataka before May 31, says BJP

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Tuesday, Feb 19, 2008
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Hold elections in Karnataka before May 31, says BJP

Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday urged the Election Commission to hold the Assembly polls in Karnataka before May 31 on the basis of the Delimitation Commission recommendations, reorganising constituencies all over the State. The party is against extension of President’s Rule.

A delegation led by the former Union Minister, Yashwant Sinha, and comprising Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar, Sadananda Gowda, Jagdish Shettar, Suresh Kumar, Arvind Limbavali and R. Ramakrishna called on Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami and submitted a memorandum.

“Against extension”

“We have told the Election Commission that revision of the electoral rolls under the new delimitation exercise should not be made an excuse to extend President’s Rule in Karnataka and elections should be held before May 31 under the new regime,” Mr. Sinha said emerging from the Commission’s office.

The BJP memorandum said that despite its being the largest single party in the recently dissolved Assembly, it was deprived of an opportunity to serve the people of Karnataka.

The party strongly advocated the termination of President’s Rule and the installation of a democratically-elected government at an early date. “We, therefore, urge the Commission to announce the poll schedule at an early date and its completion before May end.”

It stated that there was an apprehension that the Commission may not be able to conduct the polls before May end, when the Presidential notification is issued for making the delimitation orders operational.

“We feel that it is not necessary for the Commission to wait for the notification for initiating the preparatory work for giving effect to the recommendation of the Delimitation Commission. In Karnataka, it is possible to empower the Deputy Commissioners to restructure the polling booths and allocate the electoral rolls for the Assembly constituencies falling within his jurisdiction. All the ground work can be compressed within a short time frame and the framework kept ready,” it stated.

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