The Hindu : National : Saptharishi won "warm praise" from his chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 09, 2005

National

National

Saptharishi won "warm praise" from his chief

Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Three months after last year's Lok Sabha poll concluded, Chief Election Commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy wrote to L.V. Saptharishi, commending his "invaluable service'' and placing on record his "deep appreciation" for a job well done as Special Observer for Bihar in the polls.

And if this sounds strange, stranger were the remarks made by former Law Minister Arun Jaitley modifying the assessment of the officer in the annual confidential report from "very good" to "outstanding" just a few months before the Lok Sabha polls.

Distributes copies

Mr. Saptharishi distributed photocopies of the two commendations to reporters here on Sunday even as he reiterated the charges made by him earlier against the two Election Commissioners, B.B. Tandon and N. Gopalaswami.

In a letter dated August 12, 2004, Mr. Krishnamurthy wrote to Mr. Saptharishi: "As Special Observer of the Commission you rendered invaluable service... the Commission places on record its deep appreciation of the work done and commends you for invaluable service rendered in connection with your work as Special Observer... the inputs and information furnished by you enabled us to take important and quick decisions.''

The letter further said that it was gratifying to note that the elections went off without major untoward incidents and that Mr. Saptharishi had "contributed significantly in ensuring free and fair conduct of elections."

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