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HomePoliticsBefore Gujarat, Centre tried to delay Manipur polls; but EC overruled

Before Gujarat, Centre tried to delay Manipur polls; but EC overruled

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Central government sought to postpone the polls as supply of essential goods to Manipur was cut off due to the 4-month-long economic blockade.

New Delhi: At a time when the opposition has attacked the Modi government over the delay in announcement of Gujarat poll dates, it has now emerged that this was not the first instance when the Centre sought to “postpone” election dates.

Just a few days before the election schedule for Manipur was to be announced in January, the central government wrote to the Election Commission, asking it to delay the process, citing law and order issues, sources in the home ministry told ThePrint.

While the poll panel overruled the request and went ahead to announce the dates in Manipur, the dates for Gujarat polls were announced only on 25 October, 12 days after the dates for polls in Himachal Pradesh were announced. Earlier, election schedules for Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat were to be announced together. Now, Gujarat goes to polls in two phases — on 9 and 14 December.

Why did the government want to delay Manipur polls?

A government source said the Centre cited the economic blockade called by the United Naga Council as the reason for this delay. Starting in November last year, the four-month-long agitation had cut off movement of trucks and hampered supply of LPG cylinders. The other reason mentioned was tension in neighbouring Myanmar and the insurgency in the area, that apparently made Manipur unfit for holding an election at that time. The suggestions were, however, overruled and the commission went ahead to announce the dates.

“The government was assured that LPG supply will not be disrupted and that the election will be held peacefully,” an Election Commission official told ThePrint.

Finally, when the state went to polls, BJP did not get a majority on its own but moved quickly to cobble together a coalition government after days of hectic lobbying.

“If there is an insurgency issue in a poll-bound, then it is the responsibility of the MHA to send adequate forces to ensure smooth elections. Also, how would a delay of a few weeks help in such an area where the situation largely remains the same throughout the year,” the official said.

Is the delay in case of Gujarat justified?

Chief Election Commissioner A.K. Joti cited relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected areas in Gujarat as one of the reasons to withhold announcement of poll dates. However, according to conventions of the commission, the model code of conduct does not affect the emergency relief work. What it stops is a campaign, announcement of new initiatives, projects or promises during visits by ministers. The model code of conduct comes into effect once poll dates are announced.

“The model code of conduct does not affect any emergency relief work or visit of any minister. Just that, no new schemes can be announced to promote the party. Even when the elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir, the situation was far worse than what it is in Gujarat, but still everything went off smoothly,” another official said.
The ruling BJP, however, was attacked by opposition parties over Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending a slew of events and inaugurations in the state days before the poll dates were announced.

 

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