Deve Gowda takes exception to E C's 'biased decisions'

New Delhi, Dec 4 (UNI) Janata Dal (Secular) President and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has taken strong exception to the 'biased' orders of the Election Commission to clear Chamundeshwari Assembly constitutency of J D (S) leaders while '' no action was taken to evict anti-social elements housed in community halls and kalyan mandaps in Mysore city''till late last night.

In a letter submitted to Chief Election Commissioner Mr Gowda said the ''sweeping orders of the E C and reprimand of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on the basis of unspecified press reports and seizure of state government vehicles and private cars without valid reasons seemed to create an imprssion of collapse of law and order and to paint J D (S) as a villan.'' Mr Gowda said while he could understanding ''the compulsions of the E C to defend and offer a clean chit '' to its observer Raymond Peter in the wake of widespread criticism of 'malafide actions' in the constituency, the Commission had ''rushed to reprimand the Chief Minister.'' He said clearly the ''motive and intention of the commission's observer was to project as if the ruling party was solely engaged in misuse of state machinery'' against a 'winning (Congress) candidate'.

He said several Union Ministers including former Chief Ministers belonging to Congress were ''freely moving around in the constituency in official vehicles'' but Mr Kumaraswamy had been booked for violation of the model code of conduct. The J D (S), he said. had sent CDs ''separately containing shots taken on December two detailing how cash was distributed among the people in the presence of Congress nominee's son and personal body guard.'' Such activities are ''carried out with impunity by the Congress and yet no action was initiated ''against the party by the 'distinguished observer', he said.

He said E C as a custodian of free and fair conduct of elections must also appear to be fair and transparent in dealing with all political parties and elected representatives. Stating that the political party had to ''spend valuable time fighting injustices of the E C rather than political opponents,'' he said the E C should do some 'soul searching' to enable people of Chamundeshwari to express their will freely without any fear or favour.

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