Patna, Oct 09: The Election Commission today expressed readiness to conduct early Lok Sabha polls but favoured September next year as the "ideal" time if the exercise is held on schedule. "EC is prepared to conduct election even if the government decides to go for an early poll. But September 2004 would be an ideal month from weather point of view for holding the next parliamentary polls," Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh told reporters here.
To a question whether the present laws were adequate for holding free and fair elections, the CEC said, "Laws are there. We only need good people to implement them to check rigging and other malpractices." Lyngdoh, however, suggested some amendments to the anti-defection law to completely prohibit elected representatives from crossing floors. "Crossing floor is the betrayal of the worst kind," he said.
He suggested it would be better if instead of the Speaker, the President, in consultation with the EC, decided the fate of a party in case that suffered a split. He also said it would be better if the EC was armed with some legal powers to take preventive actions against leaders and political parties before announcement of the poll wherever the commission thought it necessary. Bureau Report