The Election Commission has decided against issuing any order on the whip issue during the elections to the office of President and Vice-President of the country. In any case, any uncertainty in the voting during the presidential election this year has been set to rest with K R Narayanan getting support from the three major political formations.
Narayanan filed his nomination papers yesterday morning. He is jointly sponsored by the Congress and the United Front. Later in the day, the BJP also decided to support his candidature.
The idea to consider a whipless election was first mooted by Election Commissioner G V G Krishnamurthy, based on a 1974 Supreme Court ruling. The court had directed the voters in the election to act as independent voters. The move had been criticised by political parties who felt that a whip in such an election was very much a political activity, and well within their rights.
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Yesterday, Krishnamurty did not appear to have pressed the move during a meeting of the three election commissioners. He said the commission would leave it to the wisdom and judgement of the political parties whether such a
practice (issuing a whip) amounted to undue influence.
Chief election commissioner M S Gill told said: We are in total agreement that there is no requirement for the commission to give a formal directive or order. Noting that Krishnamurtys views and the paper prepared by him had generated a nation-wide debate, Gill said, We feel that the purpose for which the debate was raised has very much been served.
Stressing that the commission stood for free and fair election to the countrys highest office, the CEC said the political parties were aware of the consequences of contravening any legal provision and, therefore, would not undertake any step which could lead to the election being challenged in the Supreme Court.
Prime Minister I K Gujral, Congress president Sitaram Kesri and Narayanan jointly handed over two sets of nomination papers to the returning officer and the Lok Sabha secretary general, S Gopalan.
Narayanans victory is assured with the Congress, United Front and the BJP supporting him.
Shortly after filing his nomination, Narayanan said: I am privileged to be the joint nominee of the Congress and the United Front in the election. Several ministers including Indrajit Gupta, P Chidambaram, Ram Vilas Paswan, Srikanta Jena and Jayanthi Natarajan were present. Accompanied by his lawyer, the Vice-President paid Rs 15,000 as security deposit, all in crisp notes of 500 denomination.
Narayanans proposers and seconders include Gujral and Kesri, all ministers and top leaders of both the political formations.
Yesterday, former chief election commissioner T N Seshan filed his papers as a Shiv Sena-backed nominee.