Page 108 - Leap of Faith inside pages with cover (1)

Leap of Faith Journey of Indian Elections

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Dr. Gill oversaw 12 and 13 Lok Sabha Elec ons, which
occurred in close succession in 1998 and 1999. This
period witnessed the return of the Electronic Vo ng
Machine (EVM) into ac on a er almost a decade and
half. On November 26, 1998 the EVMs were used in 16
select cons tuencies in legisla ve assembly elec ons in
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and NCT of Delhi.
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The 12 Lok Sabha was the shortest in India's history,
las ng for a mere 399 days between March 10, 1998 and
April 26, 1999. The incumbent government resigned
a er losing the vote of confidence on April 17, 1999. A
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Presiden al proclama on dissolved the 12 Lok Sabha on
April 26, 1999 because no viable alterna ve could
emerge. It thus became impera ve for the Elec on
Commission to conduct the Thirteenth General Elec ons
in me so that a new Lok Sabha could be recons tuted on
or before October 21, 1999 in order to comply with the
Ar cle 85 of the Cons tu on.

For the first time in its 50-year history, the Election
Polling officials leaving for poll duty, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, 1998
Commission was confronted with the challenge of
holding Lok Sabha elections in the most difficult part of
the year. The inclement summer and the monsoon that
follows are far from ideal election seasons. Almost all
elections since 1951-52 had taken place in the period
between November and April at best in May.
After intense deliberations the Election Commission
decided to hold the elections in the month of September
spilling into the first week of October, 1999. Majority of
the political parties, who held discussion with the
Commission on May 3, 1999 favoured the idea. The
decision was publicised through a Press Release on
May 4, without actual announcement of the poll
schedule, or implementation of Model Code of Conduct.
The decision was vindicated in hindsight, as there
Let the ballot papers roll, 1998 loomed an external security crisis.

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