Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Bihar dissolution

If holding of fresh elections to the Bihar Assembly was acceptable to the Supreme Court in view of the facts and circumstances of the case, then Governor Buta Singh could not possibly be guilty of malfeasance. It could have returned a verdict of faute de mieux (for want of better) just as the Supreme Court of Pakistan did in 2000 when it ruled that Gen. Musharraf's capture of power in a military coup in 1999 was legal on grounds of necessity.

The apex court's order in the Bihar Assembly dissolution case bestows an unfair advantage on the BJP and its allies in the coming elections.

Tirumalai Raman,
Chennai

Why the Supreme Court did not stay the conduct of fresh elections to the Bihar Legislative Assembly at colossal cost to the exchequer — that is to the people of this poor country — remains a mystery.

N. Balakrishnan,
New Delhi

The President is a distinguished scientist and the Prime Minister approximates to Cardinal Newman's definition of a gentleman. But the verdict that the dissolution is unconstitutional proves that the former is only a figurehead and the latter is bound by compulsions of coalition.

V. Srinivasan,
Mannargudi, T.N.

The only way a government could have been formed in Bihar had not Mr. Buta Singh taken the decision for which he is derided today, was through horse-trading. The criticism of the President for signing the proclamation is unfounded. He could not have possibly waited for matters to take a turn for the worse and allowed the political parties to explore unethical options in the name of democracy.

Syed Sultan Mohiddin,
Cuddapah, A.P.

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