Time not conducive for credible polls, CPI-M to CEC

Srinagar, Oct 8 (UNI) Suggesting some Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) for larger participation in the election process, the Communist party of India (M) today said the time was not conducive for credible Assembly elections at present. However, it said the Governor's rule was also no substitute to democratic process.

We have suggested to three-member team of Election Commission of India, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami, that there was an urgent need for taking some bold CBMs for the restoration of peoples confidence in the system, the state secretary of the CPI(M) Mohammad Yousuf Targami told UNI.

He said we have urged the team to initiate talks with everyone, including Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Coordination Committee (CC), spearheading the present agitation in the valley.

This, he said, was necessary for larger participation of people in the election process.

We have also demanded release of all detenues before announcing the poll process, he said.

About the holding of Assembly elections, he said, we have made it clear that polls if held without taking the CBMs, would not be so credible.

For making the polls more credible, which would be closely watched across the globe, we have to make things right first, he has suggested to CEC.

However, the communists had made it clear that Governor's rule cannot be substitute to democratically elected government in the state.

The meeting of 3-member CPI(M) delegation with the CEC team was a part of the process initiated by the CEC to hear from different political parties about their view points on holding elections before announcing the dates.

Every political party was given 15-minutes time to give their assessment about the situation in the state.

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