April 29, 1999

Press Release

Leaders of the CPI(M) and CPI met the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. M.S. Gill today and submitted the following memorandum:

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The Chief Election Commissioner
Election Commission of India
Nirvachan Sadan
New Delhi

Dear Dr. Gill,

Consequent to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, the Election Commission is considering the timing for the holding of the next elections. On behalf of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India, we wish to state the following:

1. The Election Commission has rightly pointed out that the process of revision of electoral rolls is going on for the inclusion of new voters. It is essential that this process be completed so that citizens who have attained the age of 18 years can cast their vote in the coming Lok Sabha polls. It will be an injustice, to deny them, as citizens, the right to vote in such a major election.
2. By the time the revision of electoral rolls is completed by the third week of July, the whole country will be in the grip of monsoon, which will hamper both election campaigning and voter participation in the polls. It must also be noted by the Commission that any idea of holding elections prior to July would mean adverse climatic factor in a dual sense. While the entire northern region will be affected by severe heat, the monsoon would have set in the southern and western coastal regions in a big way. The monsoon rains will end all over the country in the beginning of September.
3. Under these circumstances the best time to hold elections will be in the second half of September. We hope the Commission will give due consideration to our point of view.

With regards

  Yours sincerely   (Harkishan Singh Surjeet)                                     (A.B. Bardhan)
General Secretary                                         General Secretary
Communist Party of India (Marxist)         Communist Party of India