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Gujarat polls: Tug-of-war possible between EC, Centre

The possibility of a confrontation between the Election Commission and the Centre is not completely ruled out on the holding of early elections, feel political observers.

The calculation behind the dissolution appears to be that the EC would have no choice but to hold the elections latest by September to fulfil the constitutional obligation that there should not be more than six months' gap between two sessions of the House, which last met in April.

However, going by Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh's public opposition to early polls, it remains to be seen what the three-member commission would do on.

A delay in elections would be possible only if the state is brought under President's rule to avoid the situation in which the assembly must meet within six months. But a President's rule is considered remote because such a decision has to be taken by the Centre, where the BJP heads the government.

A refusal by the EC for early polls and an equal reticence by the Centre to impose President's rule could lead to a confrontation between the two constitutional organs, the commission and the government, fear analysts.

But there is another view that the EC could take the stand that the six month gap applies only to an existing assembly and not to a dissolved one.

PTI

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