Code problem

While Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi was not authorised to reveal the likely dates of the Lok Sabha polls while in London, and the Election Commission is yet to start formal consultations on the matter, his actions have got several politicians worried — once the poll dates are announced, the model code of conduct comes into operation and circumscribes their actions. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad called up Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami to put off announcing of the schedule since he planned to announce a number of new trains and welfare schemes for railway employees as well as for the general public. Women and Child Welfare Minister Renuka Chaudhary, a neighbour of Gopalaswami in the Lodhi Estate area, walked across to the latter’s bungalow unannounced to request the CEC not to schedule the poll on April 8 since she had convened an all-India meeting of anganwadi workers in the capital on that very day.