PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 211
Government were very keen in having the elections in April and May, Government felt that that would have been possible only if the process was reversed. If claims and objections were invited on the basis of electoral rolls prepared for units or for areas, and they were disposed of, and after they were disposed of electoral rolls on the basis of constituencies were made, perhaps the time that would be utilised after the constituency-wise electoral rolls were prepared could be used in the beginning so that the process of claims and objections and revisions could be got rid of and possibly the elections could have taken place in the month of April and May. It was from this point of view that Government felt that the process might be reversed, that is to say, claims and objections might be invited on the basis of preliminary electoral rolls not prepared on the basis of constituencies but on the basis of area.
That is what the Ordinance did. Now, it might be asked that since the date of the election has been postponed, is it desirable to give effect to the Ordinance? The answer to that is simple: a large part of the work which is required to be done by the Election Commissioner in the matter of the preparation of the rolls has already been done, and if the Ordinance does not become law, all that work will have to be thrown overboard and the Election Commissioner would have to begin his work de novo. (An Hon. Member: Reverse gear). Reverse gear, as my friend says. I don’t think the House will desire that such a thing should happen. I am not merely considering the question of time but also the question of money which Government has spent over the work that has already been done. We have taken care in the Bill that the provisions of the Ordinance would apply only for the first elections so that in the subsequent elections the provisions of principal Act will govern the conduct of elections and the preparation of the electoral rolls. That is why we are seeking the permission of the House to give effect to this Ordinance.
The other provisions in the Bill are purely consequential— changing of qualifying date and qualifying period, and so on and so on. I don’t think I need detain the House over them.