GVG for panel on delimitation
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Sept 30 — The Election Commissioner, Mr G.V.G Krishnamurthy, today suggested that the Government should form a committee to start the work of delimitation of constituencies and be ready when the time comes.
"At least three years are required for delimitation work and it would have been better if a committee had been set up to start the work, I hope the next government will do so’’ Mr Krishnamurthy said in a chat with newspersons today.
Mr Krishnamurthy, who stepped down from office today, said perhaps the new government could consider taking the help of the Election Commission which, he said, had the experience and could set up a mechanism.
The delimitation of constituencies is to be taken up in 2000. Mr Krishnamurthy admitted that while states which were successful in controlling population may lose out in terms of the number of representatives in Parliament to those states which did not.
However, he said, it would be unfair not to allow proper representation to the people in the Lok Sabha in a democratic system. Citing an instance he said that the Outer Delhi Lok Sabha constituency had 28 lakh voters as against five lakh in Karol Bagh or 40,000 in Lakshadweep.
The Election Commissioner also regretted that no serious effort was made by Parliament and major political parties to prevent the non-serious political parties from taking part in elections and carrying out electoral reforms.
"It is basically a failure of Parliament to have a Bill to translate these measures to de-pollute the electoral system into law’’, he said.
During his hour-long conversation, Mr Krishnamurthy recalled the contribution of the EC in silently achieving the objective of reducing non-serious candidates’ election to the posts of President/Vice-President without a whip, making it difficult for criminals to enter the fray and inner-party democracy in political parties.
Mr Krishnamurthy said he raised the issues as an Election Commissioner and did not mind taking the brickbats so long as he believed that it was in the national interest.
The outgoing EC also praised the ‘wholesome’ support he received from Dr M. S. Gill, and Mr J.M. Lyngdoh. He also praised the former CEC Mr T N Seshan for his contribution to the commission.