NOBODY NOTICED ELECTION COMMISSION'S DUPLICITY

Nobody noticed Election Commission's duplicity

By Sanjay Kaul
Op-Ed
The Pioneer
Friday, December 30, 2011

India's Election Commission is perceived as a "Gold Standard" by
democracy loving people everywhere. But from the way its present head
announced the UP elections, it seems he has willingly converted his
office into a strategic arm of the Congress

The Chief Election Commissioner has announced the dates for Assembly
elections in five States of India. This follows views to the contrary
from the leaderships in many States, notably Uttar Pradesh, where the
Chief Minister was more inclined to hold the elections after March
when the annual examinations for students would be over and the
education department personnel would be free to be engaged in this
activity.

On the other hand, speculation had been rife that the Congress-led
UPA wanted the elections as soon as possible based on their
estimations that the anti-incumbency against the Mayawati Government
would be better exploited now than later. It was hoped that the anti-
graft campaign by Team Anna and the general mood of the State could
be turned against her even as it was turning against the UPA at the
Centre.

While this remained in balance, the exertions of the UPA Government
to somehow rush in the Food Security Bill before the Lokpal Bill
could be tabled did not go unnoticed, but the flutter couldn't be
heard above the din. But the plot thickened when the Lokpal Bill
seemed to satisfy nobody and created more controversies than it had
settled.

What followed thereafter, from RJD leader Lalu Prasad's heart-rending
rendition of the minority issue to the grating howls from fattened
allies is now documented well enough to register as fait accompli --a
choreographed gambit, using jokers in the pack to send the Bill to
its early demise. Or, better still, push it towards a lengthy
incarceration in dusty files through legal challenges.
Notwithstanding the three extended days supplied as sop to the
Opposition, the friends of the Congress in Parliament had served the
purpose in escalating the minority issue on the last official day of
Parliament.

One would have admired the Congress' gumption to pull this fast one
on a nation agog with expectations of a silver bullet, or bemoaned
the guilelessness of the Opposition for falling for it in the first
place depending on which side of the divide you are. But the real cut
was not delivered until a day after when the penny finally dropped.
Exactly 24 hours later, the dates for the elections were out.

As if on cue, the election commission had stepped in and the dates
for UP elections advanced to February -- just as the Doctor ordered.
In their haste to comply with their brief, the EC gave Uttarakhand
the raw end of the same deal. Now the CM and the leader of Opposition
in the State are suggesting that parts of the State would be snowed
in end-January.

On December24, 2011, India Today reported the following: But no one
said a word. The political parties all peppered the day's press
conferences with their readiness for the great game of elections.
Nobody pointed out that the EC was curving its trajectory to suit the
senators in command. Perhaps, because it was deemed de riguer.
Orperhaps, because it is the holy cow of Indian democracy.

When the EC becomes party to a Government's election strategy, it not
only loses its credibility but it also demeans democracy. The
choreography has been apparent not only in Parliament -- with a well
timed response from UPA allies who threw up the unconstitutional
demand for a minority representation

within the Lokpal -- but now it seems that the EC held on to the
declaration just so that the UPA could make its move in Parliament
with the two Bills it thinks will allow it to secure minority
interests in UP -- the Food Security Bill, and now the Lokpal Bill
with the minority caveat.

In a sudden and splendid contiguity of views, timing and dovetailing
interests, the CEC has become the alter ego of the party in power
delivering for them the exact prescription, the precise dosage of
electoral lift they wanted from him. So now that the "appeal to caste
or communal feelings for securing votes" has been made by the
Congress, no one else may do so!

If only it were that he stood aside having done so. But no, he wasn't
done yet. On December 25, as matters reached a boil and Team Anna
stated preparations for the fast in Mumbai and the Jail Bharo and
threatened to campaign against the Congress in states, the CEC
released a veiled threat to Team Anna.

Well done Mr Quraishi! Now, let's see if we have any plans for you
after you demit office.

It is not new to note that the country's institutions are being
unabashedly denuded of their constitutional values under the UPA
regime. But it is a new low for the vaunted democratic traditions of
India that the Congress party has infiltrated the Election Commission
of India. Navin Chawla was the first ungainly incumbent. But SY
Quraishi takes the cake.

The example of former CEC MS Gill, who is part of the present cabinet
after demitting office, and the reasoned argument that it should be
necessary for persons in such posts to give an undertaking to not
take up any offer from Government is back at centre stage. And any
attempt at eluding this issue now would raise another -- Is it time
to bring the CEC under the Lokpal? After all, if we can't trust the
PM, why should we trust the CEC -- constitutionality be damned?

- The writer is Spokesperson of BJP

Comments:

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02 January 2012 posted by Sugathan Thonur

This article is very close to the truth.

The CEC was appointed by the present ruling dispensation and
obviously ingratitude wouldn't be tolerated by the powers that
matters. The selection process of CEC, EC, CVC etc. should be
rewritten with the government of the day having only a small say in
the matter. The selection to the above constitutional positions
should be in the same line that is suggested in the Jan Lokpal. The
government and some politicians say that parliament is supreme. But
that simply is not true. As per Indian constitution, we the people
are supreme. The parliament while making legislation should reflect
people's needs, aims and dreams and not the other way round!

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02 January 2012 posted by ramakrishna

The Congress has already shown that it can enslave all the
institutions eg. President's office, PMO, EC, CBI, CVC, ED. Lokpal
will be just another institution to be controlled/tamed. Already
Santhosh Hegde is waiting to become the Lokpal. Lokpal will be
another institution enslaved by Cong. party.

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02 January 2012 posted by ramakrishna

The Congress has already shown that it can enslave all the
institutions eg. President's office, PMO, EC, CBI, CVC, ED. Lokpal
will be just another institution to be controlled/tamed. Already
Santhosh Hegde is waiting to become the Lokpal. Lokpal will be
another institution enslaved by Cong. party.

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02 January 2012 posted by ramakrishna

The Congress has already shown that it can enslave all the
institutions eg. President's office, PMO, EC, CBI, CVC, ED. Lokpal
will be just another institution to be controlled/tamed. Already
Santhosh Hegde is waiting to become the Lokpal. Lokpal will be
another institution enslaved by Cong. party.

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31 December 2011 posted by Ashutosh Dubey

Congress can stoop to any level in order to maitain single party
democracy in India. It has created Bhindarawala simply because it
could not tolerate rise of Akali party in Punjab. Now they are
honobing with Maoists to prevent the non congress states from
functioning. Has any one ever disecrned that Maoists operate only in
non congress ruled states? Because congress wants to maintain
monopoly. It cannot tolerate existence of oposition parties. Its
attempt to control CVC, EC etc should be seen in this context. They
are worst murderers of democracy. That is why congress top leaders
have met the same fate met by tyrants like Musolini, Hitler etc. But
they are not reay to learn their lessons.

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31 December 2011 posted by Ashutosh Dubey

Congress has reduced democracy to farce. Fascist to the core it
cannot live without power. Hence, it tries to highjack democracy by
establishing committed media, committed EC and other constitutional
bodies. It has aversion to independent democratic institutions. But
our intectually challenged intelectuals in media call BJP as fascist
party.

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31 December 2011 posted by Bapty S

well said it always happens in congress rule ,who have been inpower
for 55 yrs.

we shld have an elected p.m not appointed., cbi,cvs,cec, etcetc all
shld come under lokpal.,including p.m.

perhaps only exception could be supreme court, but selection &
appointment of s.c judges & cji could be a well thought out
independent procedure.

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31 December 2011 posted by skg

This happens mostly during congress regimes both in Center as well as
in states. Seems people still vote for congress :(

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31 December 2011 posted by S. Kumar

Everyone has a price. Sab bikau hain.

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http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/50774-nobody-noticed-election-commission%E2%80%99s-duplicity.html

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Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

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