EC proposal criticised

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 28. A group of eminent citizens have taken exception to the observation made by the Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M. S. Gill, on the reservations envisaged in the Constitution and his alternate proposal for reservation for women.

In a statement, the former Foreign Secretary, Mr. Muchkund Dubey, Ms. Nirmala Buch, Ms. Vina Mazumdar, Mr. D. Bandyopadhyay and Ms. Lotika Sarkar said they were appalled by Dr. Gill's intervention on the Women's Reservation Bill.

They said the CEC has chosen to convene an all-party meeting to discuss an alternate formula mooted by a small group of social scientists rather than the Bill which has been placed before Parliament since 1996 and has gone through the appropriate Parliamentary procedures before final enactment.

Dr. Gill seems to have forgotten that reservation for women has already been in the incorporated in the Constitution seven years ago in the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments.

``The CEC also appears to be blissfully unaware that reservation for women in State Assemblies and Parliament is a logical follow- up to the 73rd and 74th amendments and has been a national commitment for the last several years... The position taken by the CEC at this stage is both improper and unlawful. He has exceeded his constitutional authority by intervening on a political issue,'' the statement said.

In a related development the BJP general secretary, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu, said his party was still in the process of formulating a response to the proposals mooted by the Election Commission on electoral reforms and would respond at the all- party meet convened by the EC tomorrow.

Mr. Naidu said the Commission has raised several sensitive and important subjects and the suggestions would require a careful consideration.

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Section  : National
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