The Hindu : Front Page : "Election Commission will not be cowed down"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 16, 2005

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Front Page

"Election Commission will not be cowed down"

J. Venkatesan

Krishnamurthy regrets attacks

NEW DELHI: The outgoing Chief Election Commissioner, T.S. Krishnamurthy, predicts that the "Commission will not be cowed down by remarks from politicians making personal and uncalled for attacks. It will continue to discharge its constitutional obligation of holding free and fair polls."

Speaking to reporters before laying down office on Sunday, Mr. Krishnamurthy said he was upset when personal attacks were made against the Commission and its members.

Referring specifically to the allegation of "caste bias" levelled by a senior IAS officer, L.V. Saptarishi, and subsequently by Railway Minister and RJD leader Lalu Prasad, Mr. Krishnamurthy said: "These allegations are baseless and unwarranted. Neither me nor any of the two Commissioners, B.B. Tandon and N. Gopalaswami, made such a remark."

The outgoing CEC added:

"Some parties seem to be enjoying themselves criticising the election officers. It is not good. Political parties should regulate themselves. I make it clear that the Commission will not be cowed down by such remarks. They make such personal remarks to undermine the authority and to weaken the Commission.

"This is agni pariksha [ordeal by fire] and the Commission will come out of it without any injury or consequences. We can absorb this shock.

"I take it as a part of democracy. I was upset that the credibility of the Election Commission's decision was being questioned and it was getting politicised. There is no need to doubt the credibility of the Commission. Fortunately, the reaction from every responsible quarters [including President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh] to the controversy was in favour of the Commission."

"Unfortunately, no political party likes it to be disciplined. Whenever rules and regulations are required to be enforced, the political party concerned does not like if it is enforced strictly," he said.

When it was suggested that the Government was reluctant to bring in further electoral reforms, Mr. Krishnamurthy said Dr. Manmohan Singh had assured him he would take a quick decision on the Commission's 22 suggestions after convening an all-party meeting.

Pointing out that political parties were becoming more and more aggressive during elections, Mr. Krishnamurthy expressed the opinion that the model code of conduct should be given a legal status to ensure its effective implementation. However, the enforcement of penal provisions should vest with the Commission.

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