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Gill says his intent was to provide level playing field

Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill today said the commission's intent in However, the commission would abide by the Supreme Court verdict in the case, he said.

''The commission's intent was to provide a level playing field. But, we not claim to be the last word on everything,'' Dr Gill said while addressing a meeting of 'Quota International', a social service organisation, in New Delhi today.

Dwelling on several aspects of the ongoing elections and democracy in India, Dr Gill said the commission could not act like a ' thanedar ' (policeman) and it was up to the political parties and candidates to run a civilised, issue-based campaign to inject meaning into the process of democracy.

He regretted that the campaign for the 13th general elections had veered away from real issues concerning the people and had been reduced to a contest between personalities. Identifying health, education, employment and industrial and agricultural development as the issues concerning the people, Dr Gill suggested that televised debates could be held among leaders of major parties to inform the people about their programmes and policies on these vital issues.

Sharing his ''personal thoughts'' on some electoral reforms, Dr Gill said Parliament should seriously think of a minimum literacy level for candidates contesting elections. Parliament should also decide on a minimum percentage of voter turnout to make an election valid, he suggested.

Hoping that the elections would throw up a Parliament that would last its full term and would be ''productive'', Dr Gill regretted that the time spent by the house on serious debates, discussions and legislation had declined over the years. The ''lax attitude'' of politicians and bureaucrats was reflected in the ''poor quality'' of laws drafted in recent times, he added.

Replying to a question, Dr Gill said that voter identity cards had been distributed to about 60 per cent of the electors and the commission was making vigorous efforts to conclude the exercise. Among the initiatives taken up by the commission this time was the computerising of the electoral rolls and their publication in a book form for each state and also on a CD-ROM.

Describing the elections as a massive exercise, Dr Gill said the current exercise would cost the exchequer Rs 7 billion.

UNI

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