NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The Election Commission has urged the Centre to promulgate an ordinance allowing deployment of employees of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and other government-aided bodies on poll duty.

As the rules now stand, the EC is barred from making use of their services under a SC order issued in February 1995. In a recent letter to the PM, Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill said over 45 lakh officials were needed to man nine lakh polling booths in the country. It may be difficult to conceive a smooth conduct of polls without the added help of PSU men.

As the LS is dissolved, the Representation of People Act (RPA) could not be amended except through an ordinance, the CEC wrote. The Supreme Court had ruled that the Commission could not use the services of officials other than those in the employment of the government and local bodies for election duty.

The judgment had created a serious problem for the Commission, Gill complained, as in a large number of districts the required number of staff under the employment of government and local authorities was just not there.

He said the Commission had written several times to the Law Ministry suggesting an amendment to the RPA to allow it to deploy officials from PSUs, statutory and non-statutory bodies, and university and government-aided educational institutions.

The suggestion also figures in the recommendations sent by the Commission on comprehensive electoral reforms. The proposal also met the approval of all recognised political parties at a meeting in May, Gill said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.