“I am strict and I may be stern but I’m always fair and transparent. You get what you see”. This is one side. This was how T N Seshan, arguably, the Chief Election Commissioner who made the Election Commission of India an admired institution, used to describe himself. Then he would add “whilst I sit on this chair I have a job to do and I’ll do it to the best of my ability. Wild horses can’t stop me”. No wonder he was fondly called “Bulldog Seshan”. It was a moniker he revelled in.
Alas, the Commission of today behaves like a very different animal. It is more obedient to the centre than a watchdog. if you want to extend the analogy. It seems to have forgotten the need for fairness and transparency. It is no longer determined to do its job even in the teeth of fierce resistance. Instead it seeks the easy way out.
A month has lapsed since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Banswara speech—in fact, in seven days from now voting will be concluded – but the commission has barely acted in response to a accusation of the PM blatantly breaching the model code as well as Representation of people Act.. No action has been taken against the Prime Minister for his repeated blatant hate speeches..
Unlike the case of K Chandrashekhar Rao, A Raja, Supriya Shrinate and Randeep Surjeewala, the EC decided not to issue a notice directly to Modi. Instead, it wrote to BJP President J P Nadda on the filmsy ground that Modi is party’s star campaigner. The notice did not mention the PM by name or designation. Only the annexed documents did that. When the party failed to respond on the specific date, it readily agreed to extend by one week more. Even after receiving a response, the Commission is in no hurry to take a decision. This deliberate prevarication suggests it is playing for time.
Meanwhile, what has the PM done? On virtually a daily basis, he has been continue to demonize Muslims in Hindu eyes with repeated allegations that reservation intended for OBC, STs, and SCs will be snatched and given to them. Even mangal Sutras and streedhan — and if you have two buffaloes, one of them — will be grabbed and given to Muslims.
Is this not compounding his original breach by careful and deliberate repetition? Is it not disregard for and defiance of the commission’s model code of conduct?
All the commission seems to be able to do is sit back, listen and twiddle its thumbs. Why has it not taken tougher action? Why has it not moved to act least, the BJP for this continued, actually ceaseless defiance? Article 324 of the constitution, gives it all the powers it requires. (IPA Service)
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