Cabinet meeting with probability of repolls looming draws flaks Govt sees meet outside code purview
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 09, 2012:
The SPF cabinet meeting held last evening and its subsequent decisions to provide ex-gratia as well as suitable Government jobs to next of kin of some individuals killed in election-related incidents has been strongly criticised by some political leaders.
Amid demands from various political organisations for repolling in some polling stations citing electoral malpractices, the Cabinet meeting presided by the Chief Minister had approved extra-gratia payment, Government jobs and amendment Manipur Health Services Leave Rule.
When contacted, a Cabinet Minister in the SPF coalition conceded that no prior approval of the Election Commission of India was sought for convening the Cabinet session.
The Minister, however, expressed his personal view that as the resolutions were adopted independently by the state Cabinet it would not amount to violation of election model code of conduct.
It is also disclosed that official process is being initiated for consent of the ECI through the office of the State's Chief electoral Officer to implement the Cabinet resolutions.
Reacting to the Cabinet decision, Nationalist Congress Party's State unit president Radhabinod Koijam described the Cabinet session as not only unwarranted and hasty but also deserving appropriate measures by the ECI.
Pointing out that there are numerous complaints of electoral mal-practices and demands for repolling in some polling stations, he posed what compelling factors were there for the SPF Government to hold the Cabinet meeting.
While welcoming decisions for extending ex-gratia and jobs to the victims' families, the leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly also questioned why the SPF Government could not delay the meeting after cessation of the election code of conduct.
He also wryly remarked as to whether the SPF Government is apprehensive of its return to power or there would be no more repolling in the State that constrained the State Cabinet to hold the meeting in such a hasty manner.
Commenting on the issue, Manipur People's Party vice president S Umananda, who is also presently the president in-charge, said he was dumbstruck on being informed that the State Cabinet had actually taken such decisions.
citing continuous complaints on alleged casting of votes in the name of deceased persons and charges of proxy voting, particularly in the hill districts, Umananda observed that possibility of repolling could not be ruled out at this juncture.
Highlighting that election code of conduct is still in force in Manipur, he also reminded all concerned that only in emergency situations a Cabinet meeting could be convened with the approval of the ECI.
The SPF Government contending that consent of the ECI would be sought after the Cabinet had already decided on the issues of ex-gratia payment, Government jobs and amend State Health Services Rule is clearly a violation of election code of conduct, he maintained and opined that under no circumstance should the ECI approve the Cabinet decisions.
Speaking on behalf of the State unit BJP, a party spokesperson strongly suggested that the ECI should take prompt action against decisions of the SPF Cabinet.
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