New Delhi: A meeting of leaders of all recognised political parties convened by the Election Commission to hear their views on the conduct of Lok Sabha polls began today (Feb 20, 2004).

Strict implementation of the "model code of conduct" after the announcement of the poll schedule would be one of the key issues that will figure at the meeting with representatives of the six national and 48 regional political parties.

The meeting would also focus on seeking the cooperation of the parties for ensuring a violence-free poll and reduced poll expenditure by the candidates and the parties.

Besides, the Commission is also expected to elicit the views of the political parties on the new nomination forms to be used in line with the recent amendments to the Representation of the People Act.

Chief Election Commissioner, T S Krishna Murthy, and the other two Election Commissioners, B B Tandon and N Gopalaswami, addressed the meeting which was being attended among others by Pramod Mahajan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Bharatiya Janata Party), Pranab Mukherjee (Congress), Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal-United), Laloo Prasad Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and Amar Singh (Samajwadi Party).