This is the front page of The Indian Express published on September 23, 1984, Forty Years Ago.
Polls in December
Mrs Indira Gandhi has decided to go in for the Lok Sabha elections in the second half of December, according to sources in the government. An announcement dissolving the present Lok Sabha and setting in motion the electoral process is likely to be made some time in October. The Election Commission, which needs merely 42 days to go through its pre-election formalities, will be given enough time to make the arrangements.
Akali-Centre talks
The rehabilitation of the Nihang chief, Baba Santa Singh, appears to be the main issue to be settled in the secret negotiations between the government and some senior Akali leaders on the Golden Temple issue. Baba Santa Singh was excommunicated by the five Sikh high priests for starting a “kar seva” of the Akal Takht. Efforts are being made to resolve this prickly issue.
Under review
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N T Rama Rao said that all decisions taken by the Bhaskara Rao regime, including the restoration of the retirement age of government employees to 58, “shall be reviewed by the cabinet.” Talking to newsmen, he described the decisions taken during the brief period when he was out of power, as “cheap gimmicks”. He was particularly sore over the reversal of his regime’s decision, which had reduced the retirement age from 58 to 55.
Indo-China Discussion
China and India made progress in their fifth round of border talks, which ended in Beijing, but they stopped short of examining claims for disputed Himalayan areas, an Indian spokesman said. The two countries narrowed differences over the guiding principles for an eventual solution. A “substantive discussion of the boundary question” will be possible in the next round, the official spokesman said. Diplomats had not expected much progress in the week-long talks.
