Gill rules out appointment of non-MLA as Uttaranchal CM

NEW DELHI, NOV 2: Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill today clarified that no by-elections could be held in Uttaranchal till delimitatio...

NEW DELHI, NOV 2: Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill today clarified that no by-elections could be held in Uttaranchal till delimitation of Assembly constituencies, completely ruling out the appointment of a non-MLA as the first chief minister of the state to be born on November 9.

“There is no provision of a by-election in the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2000,” confirmed a source in the Election Commission (EC). The EC will shortly set up a new division to finalise delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the yet-to-be-born state, the source said.

The delimitation exercise, to divide the existing 22 Assembly constituencies into 70 segments, would take almost a year, EC sources said. This means a non-MLA if appointed, would have to resign for failing to become a member of the state Assembly within six months as constitutionally mandated.

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The BJP, with an overwhelming majority of 23 MLAs in a 30-member Assembly, is yet to select its chief ministerial candidate. Among those being considered for the post are Lt. Gen. B.C. Khanduri (MP) and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, K.C. Pant, besides a couple of legislators.

The Centre will nominate a five-member team of elected representatives — MLAs and MPs — from Uttaranchal to assist in the delimitation exercise, but they wouldn’t have voting rights, EC sources said.

Several factors such as division of local administrative units, geographical boundaries and population would have to be taken into consideration while delimiting Assembly segments in Uttaranchal.

The commission will have to ensure that the population in a parliamentary constituency are spread evenly among the assembly segments keeping in view a freeze imposed by the Government on delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.

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Thickly populated cities like Dehradun and Nainital are likely to have seven or eight Assembly constituencies spread over a few square kilometres, while others like those on the Indo-China border with a sparse population, will be spread over an area of over 100 square kilometres. This would be discriminatory to candidates allowed to spend a fixed amount for campaigning in their constituencies, EC sources said.

Referring to the progress of organisational elections in political parties, Gill said the poll panel had launched the process of strengthening inner-party democracy in 1996, and a majority of the parties were following the exercise. “The Commission is regularly monitoring the process,” he said, adding it was unfair for top party leaders to impose their favourites during organisational polls.