The Hindu Business Line : Lok Sabha dissolved, over to polls

THE President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Friday dissolved the Lok Sabha with immediate effect, paving the way for early general elections. Dr Kalam signed the order dissolving the House following acceptance of the recommendation of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Mr Vajpayee had called on the President on Thursday to apprise him of the proceedings in Parliament during the short session that ended on February 5 and convey the advice of the Cabinet on dissolution of the 13th Lok Sabha.

During the meeting lasting 30 minutes, Mr Vajpayee briefed Dr Kalam on the completion of the constitutional requirements relating to the passing of votes-on-account (Railways and General) 2004-2005, the Finance Bill, 2004, and other exigencies of Government business.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique issued here today said: "As necessary financial and other business have since been completed by the Parliament, the President has now accepted the recommendation and in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by sub-clause (b) of clause (2) of Article 85 of the Constitution of India, has signed an Order today dissolving the Thirteenth Lok Sabha with immediate effect.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA Government's conscious decision to dissolve the Lok Sabha and go in for early polls - the fourth time in the nation's history - instead of in October as per normal schedule, follows the coalition partners' game plan to cash in on the BJP's spectacular success in the recent Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Besides, with the economy doing well and the return of the `feel-good' factor owing largely to an excellent monsoon in recent years, the authorities felt that it would be too much of a gamble to wrest their poll prospects on the vagaries of yet another monsoon, which may or may not be as good as in 2003.

As for the three such occasions earlier, the first such decision of dissolving the House for early polls was taken by the late Indira Gandhi in 1971 to cash in on the overwhelming groundswell following the victory in the Bangladesh liberation war.

The other two instances were during the regime of her son, the late Rajiv Gandhi.