Too many polls so let's fix Lok Sabha term -- PM

Too many polls so let's fix Lok Sabha term -- PM
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 17: The function to celebrate the golden jubilee of the Election Commission today began on a note of acrimony with Prime Minister A B Vajpayee proposing the controversial idea of a fixed term for the Lok Sabha. And Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi opposing what she called were attempts to tinker with the Constitution.

Vajpayee, whose government had to quit after a defeat by one vote two years ago, made a strong pitch for a fixed term both for the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies citing the undesirability of holding frequent elections.

But Sonia who spoke before him did not leave anybody guessing about her target when she spoke of the dangers to India's democracy and unity from those who were ``uncomfortable'' with the Constitution.

And when his turn came, Vajpayee not only echoed the BJP's view on having a fixed term for the Lok Sabha but also said he was happy that the Constitution Review Commission had started a public debate on the ``important issue.''

The function was attended by President K R Narayanan, Speaker G M C Balayogi,Law Minister Arun Jaitley and several Union ministers, chief ministers and leaders of political parties.

Vajpayee began by saying that elections were becoming prohibitively costly somuch so that ordinary political activists, in spite of an extraordinary record of public service, found it difficult to contest elections. ``This situation increases the dependence of both candidates and parties on moneybags with all the attendant negative influences on the polity. What makes this dependence higher is the occurrence of frequent and unscheduled elections,'' he said.

Since this was adversely affecting the quality of governance, ``I strongly believe that a fixed tenure for our Parliament and State legislatures is essential for our democratic system to become mature and deliver good governance,'' he said.

Sonia Gandhi talked about the need for democracy to strengthen the bonds of unity in the country and referred to the dangers to this unity. ``The danger is from those who are uncomfortable with our Constitution and who doubt the very basis of the social character and secular sacrament that was put together by some of the finest minds and the noblest souls the country has ever assembled,'' she said.

Vajpayee also said that there were certain things in the country's democratic system that caused concern and anguish and called for necessary systemic changes. Expressing dismay over the fact that elections were increasingly becoming contentious, he noted that parties and candidates were often crossing norms of proper conduct.

President K R Narayanan shared the concern expressed over the aberrations in the electoral system and urged parties to refrain from giving tickets to individuals with criminal background to deal effectively with the menace of criminalisation of politics. ``Is this too much to expect from the political parties?'' he asked.

On the women's reservation Bill, Vajpayee referred to the ``constructive suggestion'' to provide reservation to women within parties and said that the government would consider any constructive proposal.

Narayanan said that political parties had the power to give sufficient tickets to women. ``In all this, the EC also can play a very useful role," he said.

Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill spoke about how elections in India were being held periodically for 50 years with ``considerable competence and fairness.'' One objective test of fairness was that at every election voters had overthrown major parties and leaders and the other was the acceptance of the results of every election.