At a press convention on Friday, the Election Commission (EC) was anticipated to announce simultaneous election schedules for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, however launched the schedule just for the latter.
Chief Electoral Officer Rajiv Kumar stated, “We are following the precedent in postponing the announcement of dates for Gujarat for the time being.” He stated the announcement of elections in lots of states has led to an extended await the outcomes to be declared for some.
This isn’t the primary time. Back in 2017, simultaneous elections have been additionally going to be held in each the states. In truth, they’re from 1998 besides 2002-03. But on October 12, the date of announcement, the Election Commission introduced the dates for Himachal solely, equally Gujarat elections might be introduced later. That yr, Himachal Pradesh went to polls on 9 November. Gujarat went to polls in two phases on 9 December and 14 December. The outcomes for each the states have been declared on December 18, 2017.
An Indian Express report from that point famous how the Election Commission introduced “simultaneous … even if the terms of the two state legislatures expire within two weeks of each other” by not declaring elections. “broken by convention”.
Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi stated the decision raised “serious questions”. The Congress, the primary opposition occasion in Gujarat, alleged that the BJP pressured the Election Commission to delay the announcement.
The Convention acknowledges that the Election Commission typically conducts simultaneous elections in states the place incumbent governments are finishing their five-year phrases inside six months. The election dates for these states are additionally introduced concurrently. The time period of the Gujarat Assembly ends on February 18 subsequent yr, whereas that of Himachal Pradesh ends on January 8.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Qureshi stated, “It raises some serious questions. The tenure of the Legislative Assemblies of both the states is almost the same. So why should the Election Commission wait for the announcement of the dates for Gujarat?”
Simultaneous bulletins have been a sample after the Godhra riots, excluding 2002–03, when the Gujarat Assembly was prematurely dissolved.
Later defending the choice to declare Gujarat elections in 2017, the then Chief Electoral Officer Achal Kumar Joti informed reporters that it was to keep away from the undue prolongation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) within the state. it was completed.
At that point, Joti additionally stated that the MCC shouldn’t exceed 46 days. (The MCC was in pressure for 83 days through the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh elections in 2007 and 2012, which, they felt, hampered governance). According to him, an extra issue influencing the choice was the continuation of flood reduction within the state, which might have been hampered by the MCC.
“The Chief Election Commissioner has already made it clear that the polling in Gujarat will finish earlier than the Himachal outcomes are declared. If that is the case then the counting of votes of Gujarat might be completed inside every week if not on the identical day then that of Himachal. So what number of days of MCC did you spare Gujarat? perhaps every week? What does it really obtain?” Qureshi then inquired.
MCC is a code that goals to supply equal alternatives to all sportspersons throughout elections by guiding the conduct of the incumbent authorities, different political events and candidates. For instance, a authorities in energy can not announce any determination that would doubtlessly have an effect on voters. The MCC comes into pressure from the date of the announcement of the polling dates and lasts until the day of polling.
The Congress alleged that the BJP had pushed the Election Commission to delay the announcement of Gujarat elections to announce some last-minute concessions for voters within the state.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
