Quraishi’s slip of tongue hints at split in poll panel
According to a government source, the comment may have been a ploy to corner chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami.
Election commissioner SY Quraishi’s remark in London hinting at the general election between April 8 and May 15 may not have been a slip of the tongue as a hasty clarification from Nirvachan Sadan suggested. According to a government source, the comment may have been a ploy to corner chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami.
The CEC is said to be keen to complete the election before he retires on April 20, but the other two commissioners prefer a later schedule. The UPA also prefers polls after mid-April.
The commissioners have been talking informally to various political leaders on the issue, the source said. A formal meeting is scheduled for February 3.
The tug-of-war in the election commission has intensified amid reports that the UPA has zeroed in on two possible successors to Gopa-laswami—law secretary TK Vishwanathan and home secretary Madhukar Gupta.
If the polls begin around mid-April, the process would be presided over by Navin Chawla, who would take Gopalaswami’s place as CEC. Chawla would remain CEC for a year as he completes 65 years in July 2010.
Election commissioners are appointed for six years or till they attain the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
The CEC is said to be keen to complete the election before he retires on April 20, but the other two commissioners prefer a later schedule. The UPA also prefers polls after mid-April.
The commissioners have been talking informally to various political leaders on the issue, the source said. A formal meeting is scheduled for February 3.
The tug-of-war in the election commission has intensified amid reports that the UPA has zeroed in on two possible successors to Gopa-laswami—law secretary TK Vishwanathan and home secretary Madhukar Gupta.
If the polls begin around mid-April, the process would be presided over by Navin Chawla, who would take Gopalaswami’s place as CEC. Chawla would remain CEC for a year as he completes 65 years in July 2010.
Election commissioners are appointed for six years or till they attain the age of 65, whichever is earlier.