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| New Chief Election Commissioner Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath is seen in his office after taking charge in New Delhi yesterday |
Taking charge as the 18th chief of the poll panel, Sampath also said he did not favour giving statutory status to the model code of conduct.
“The reforms’ proposals are at last-mile stage...We do hope that this will be carried forward. Whatever is in the realm of the commission, we will certainly do to expedite the implementation of electoral reforms,” Sampath told reporters after taking charge from S Y Quraishi, who retired yesterday.
He said the commission would work for the early implementation of electoral reforms which are key for putting an end to criminalisation of politics and undue influence of money power in electoral arena.
On giving statutory authority to the model code of conduct, Sampath said the present system is working “satisfactorily.”
“Our view is, the present system is working satisfactorily, very well. We have been able to conduct reasonably efficient election management with the present dispensation,” he said.
News reports recently suggested that the government wanted to give the model code of conduct statutory backing so that complaints relating to its violations could be tried in a court of law, rather than being left to the discretion of the poll panel.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid had also said the government would consult political parties whether they wanted to take the model code of conduct out of the commission’s purview.
At this, then chief election commissioner Quraishi had lashed out at Khurshid, saying it was an attempt to curb the commission’s power.
Sampath said: “The view of the Election Commission has always been that the model code is an effective instrument in the hands of Election Commission in election management.”
“Anything that anyone wants to do will be certainly part of a larger public debate,” he added.
Sampath also tried to brush aside questions on a collegium-type appointment for the chief election commissioner. “At this point of time, I would like to attend to the tasks at hand,” he said.
He also said the commission was preparing for assembly elections in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya, slated for later this year.
Sampath said the Election Commission would make an announcement on the presidential election schedule soon.
“All preparatory works are in full swing and an announcement regarding the election schedule is due shortly,” he said.
“Let there be some surprise,” he said when asked when the panel would announce the schedule.
In his maiden press conference as the poll panel chief, Sampath said the immediate task for him was the conduct of elections to the offices of the president and vice president of India.
President Pratibha Patil’s term ends on July 24 and the poll panel’s notification will set the process in motion. Officials have hinted that the notification will be issued this week.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukjerjee is emerging as a frontrunner for the top position, although the Congress Party is keeping its cards close to the chest about the candidature.
Asked about the Congress’s candidate, party spokesman Manish Tewari said nothing has been decided yet.
“A process is going on, but nothing is final. Once consultations fructify in some conclusion we will get back to you,” he told reporters.