| Kalam signed a communique to dissolve the Lok Sabha, nine months ahead of its full five-year term, on the advice of the council of ministers. |
| Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had informed Kalam on January 27 about the resolution passed by the Cabinet to dissolve the Lok Sabha on February 6, a day after a brief session of Parliament to pass the vote-on-account and complete other business of the governance. |
| Vajpayee accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani and Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on the President yesterday to inform him about the adjournment of the Lok Sabha after the completion of the government's business. |
| Just before leaving for Chennai for an official function, Kalam signed the communique, which put in motion the process for the general elections. |
| For the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), everything went in a clockwork precision. The dissolution of the Lok Sabha will be followed by a shake up in the Election Commission as new Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy and new poll panel member N Gopalswamy will take over their new assignments on Sunday. |
| With the dissolution of the House, the role of the three-member Election Commission assumes significance and the strategy for the deployment of security forces will have to be worked out for the conduct of polls. |
| According to sources, with Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh retiring on Sunday, the new CEC along with two members will hold a series of consultations to draw a road-map for the polls. |
| What appears to be major handicap for holding early polls is the non-completion of the electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh, where the Allahabad High Court has set a date for completion of the rolls before March 20. |
| This is major handicap as the poll panel cannot decide on the schedule unless the electoral rolls are ready. |
| The poll panel will also hold a wider consultation with the home ministry next week to decide on the poll schedule. |
Top Section
Explore Business Standard