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Thackeray asked to appear before EC

The Election Commission has asked Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray to appear before the full commission on December 24 on the issue of amending the party's constitution and holding party elections periodically.

In a formal notice to the Sena chief, the Commission has warned, ''Failure to appear before the Commission would mean that the party does not have anything to say on the matter and the Commission would be free to take an ex-parte decision.''

Election Commissioner G V G Krishnamurty told the media that the Commission has already rejected the party stand that its constitution does not have provisions for holding party elections.

The Commission, during a meeting on December 1, told a Sena delegation that the party constitution should be amended. The party was given a week's time to file their reply, which expired on December 8.

At a full Commission meeting today, it was decided that the party should be given a final chance, before taking a decision as the Sena is the coalition partner in the Maharashtra government.

Krishnamurty said the Commission will take a final decision on the issue before the announcement of the poll schedule.

The Commission has conveyed to the party that it had to amend the constitution as per the Section 29-A of the Representation of People Act. Though the party was registered much before the insertion of that provision, it was necessary for the party to hold elections periodically, he said.

As per the Sena constitution, Thackeray remains the party's life-time president and no election for any post is held.

The commission's six-page notice, quoting the former chief election commissioner T N Seshan order of 1994, stressed the need for inner-party democracy.

The commission said the Sena failed to hold elections though the deadline was extended from December 1996 to March 1997.

UNI

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