Page 119 - Leap of Faith Vol - 2

Vision for a New Century Chapter 5

The dexterous and clinical handling of Legislative During the period 2002-03, the Election Commission
Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in September- intensively revised the electoral rolls of 27 states/UT. The
October, 2002; and Gujarat in December, 2002 was the elections to the legislative assemblies in four states viz.
highlight of J.M. Lyngdoh's tenure. In Gujarat, where the Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura in
10 Legislative Assembly had been dissolved by the February, 2003, polling were entirely conducted with the
Hon'ble Governor on July 19, 2002 – seven months short EVM. The plan was now to conduct the Fourteenth
of its normal term – the Election Commission in its 40- General Elections in 2004 likewise. On February 6, 2004,
page long order declared that free and fair elections President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam prematurely dissolved the
could be conducted in November-December, 2002. The Lok Sabha on the advice of the Union Cabinet to set the
then President of India Dr. Abdul Kalam referred the scene for fresh elections. T.S. Krishna Murthy, being
th
matter to the Supreme Court of India under Article 143 of appointed as the 13 Chief Election Commissioner of
the Constitution on whether it constituted an India, took office on February 8, 2004. The Commission
directly got into hectic preparations for the General
infringement of Article 174 (1) that six months shall not
Elections, whose schedule was soon announced on
intervene between the last sitting of the Legislative
February 29, 2004.
Assembly in one session and date appointed for first
sitting in the next Session. The Hon'ble Supreme Court on The national electorate strength for the Fourteenth
October 28, 2002 upheld Election Commission of India's General Election was close to 675 million (67.5 cr). For the
authority to decide the timing of elections. first time, all candidates across the nation, had to

The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2003 (24 of
2003) enacted on March 22, 2003 introduced the
concept of 'Proxy Voting'. The legislation amended
Sections 59, 60 and 62 of the Representation of the
People Act, 1951. The facility of appointing a proxy
for casting of vote on behalf of the original elector
was extended only to Service Voters belonging to
Armed Forces and Para-military Forces. The Proxy
had to be an adult citizen of India (minimum 18
years); and both the Voter and the Proxy had to get
their signatures on the Form attested from the
respective authorities as notified in the rules.

CEC T.S. Krishna Murthy addressing a press conference

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