Gill refuses to comment on T.Nadu development

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY. 26. The Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. M. S. Gill, at a press conference (described by him as the ``farewell meeting with the fourth estate'') at the Raj Bhavan guest house here on Saturday, refused to comment on the post-poll developments in Tamil Nadu with reference to Ms. Jayalalitha, categorically saying that the Election Commission's responsibility was over with the conduct of the elections.

He hastened to say that he and the Commission, as a whole, had no business to talk about this matter as, it was now in the area of other Constitutional authorities. ``We held the elections. Now, it is part of history and it is before the country. We can't discuss about individuals at this stage,'' he said. He refused to comment when asked if disqualification of any person, as happened in the case of Ms. Jayalalitha, depended more on the interpretation and discretion of election official concerned. In a reconciled tone, Dr. Gill, however, said, the Commission recommended amendments to change, strengthen and simplify Section (A) of the election law to overcome the lacunas, but it was up to Parliament to pass it.

Dr. Gill who was here on a day's sojourn visiting the Bidar Gurdwara in Karnataka and Golconda Fort and Qutb Shahi Tombs in the city, spoke in the same vein when his reaction was sought on the `personal allegations' made against him by Ms. Mamata Banerjee, taking a stand that those holding responsible position would have to absorb some shocks. The CPI-M also pounced on him likewise in the past but the party came around later. Such negative postures against the Commission were natural in a country like India where democracy was vibrant having its own `social and economic push and pulls' at interplay with the texture of the electorate vastly varying from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

Asked about his contribution during his seven-year stint from 1993, the longest tenure by any Election Commissioner, the CEC said, they were able to establish the three-member Commission as an institution working in unison with one another which would be good and healthy for democracy and the electoral system. He hoped that Mr. J. M. Lyngdoh, who would succeed him on June 13, would do much better than what little he could do.

Dr. Gill thanked the Prime Minister and the Union Law Minister for naming a successor a month in advance as, this would ensure smooth transition, giving no scope for `undesirable situations'. He also thanked the election officials all over the country, for smooth conduct of elections on several occasions involving a record of 620 million voters equal to total general population of the U.S. and a few countries put together. As a suggestion for better electoral system, Dr. Gill wanted conduct of all-party meetings at regular intervals at all levels `as a must' with a clear written agenda for the meetings.

About the `much publicised' reports that Mr. T. N. Seshan, as Chief Election Commissioner, and he, as Election Commissioner, were ``at each other's throat,'' he said, it was not so - not even on a single occasion. There might be some occasions when the three members disagreed with one another but one word of consensus went out to the nation when it came to the question of settling an issue. For example, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, as Prime Minister, wanted elections in Kashmir but we said `no' representing the body, though having divergent opinions among ourselves. His relations with Mr. Seshan were such that even now, he would talk to him exchanging pleasantries, he said, describing him as `distinguished former CEC'. During an informal chat later, he recalled Peter's Principle to say that everybody would rise above his/her incompetency.

Dr. Gill said after retirement, he would concentrate on historical monuments, forests and wildlife which remained his favourite subjects. He was distressed at the neglect of ancient monuments and the poor budget allocation for the Archaeological Survey of India. He wanted the local administration headed by the district Collector to take charge of ancient monuments because a local officer would take more interest in them than someone operating from Delhi.

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