State shifts Solapur collector on EC fiat

MUMBAI, AUGUST 10: On directions of the Election Commission of India, the State Government has immediately transferred Solpaur district c...

MUMBAI, AUGUST 10: On directions of the Election Commission of India, the State Government has immediately transferred Solpaur district collector Madhav Sangle for ordering removal of the saffron flag from atop the famous Vitthal temple at Pandharpur.

Sangle had issued the order while following the model code of conduct for elections which prohibits use of religion and places of worship in campaigning. Sangle8217;s contention was that the saffron flag would have helped the Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance. The decision, however, had created furore amongst Vitthal devotees statewide. Dr D K Sankaran had submitted a report to the EC about the entire matter.

In Mumbai, Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill today denied Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray8217;s remarks about bias in dates of general elections in the State.

Thackeray on Monday night had in the Sena-BJP8217;s rally here said that he smelt political intervention in alotment of dates in the State and the EC had a bias in announcing electoral dates. Thackeray had claimed that the EC did not consider the request to change the polling scheduled for September 11, 1999 despite informing the latter that the Ganesh festival was beginning on September 13.

Gill today faxed a letter to State Chief Electoral Officer Dr D K Sankaran clarifying the EC8217;s stand. There is no political intervention in the poll schedule and it is based on various important factors. It is binding on the EC to submit a list of all MPs to the President of India by October 10 if the 13th Lok Sabha is to be constituted on or before October 22, 1999. The EC has finalised the dates only after fully scrutinising factors like the monsoon, various festivals of all religions and the war-like situation at Kargil.

Union Home ministry had requested the EC to conduct elections in five stages instead of four so that deploying of para-millitary forces countrywide was possible. Moreover, the EC gave a thought to all festivals taking place during elections. As Gokul Ashtami was falling on September 3, the date was changed to September 5, 1999. As the State Government informed the EC about the Ganesh festival which starts on September 13, the EC finalised September 11 keeping two days as a buffer period. Postponing the dates after the end of the festival would have resulted in delaying the entire process of constituting the Lok Sabha.

Therefore, there is no bias whatsoever so far as dates of elections are concerned,8217; reads the letter.