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The Election Commission of India and its rendezvous with Elections 2014

 

9052014

Manu Sharma,

New Delhi” May 10,2014, The stone thrower and the intended victim are both party to the incident as one of them is surely the true victim for reasons best known to them and erring in the public eye. The offender might use the media to highlight himself as the victim in the public eye and the punisher to stand in prejudiced controversy or vice versa. The truth is they both gain something by coming into the limelight.

The same holds true for both EC and its actions against its political offenders in the public eye. The more it involves itself in taking action against them, the more it holds itself to fall victim to unwarranted uncalled for controversies sadly none of them of its making  or liking hence endangering itself to end up as the sole victim in the public eye, with both the offender and the victim garnering political gains in the  melee.

Has the respect and admiration of ECI taken a severe beating because of the overabundance of avowal against it by leading politicians becoming acerbic across party lines of late? The question here is the Honorable Election Commission of India being used for political gains or electorate mileage by the all and mighty political bigwigs for their own vested interests? Can it come out unscathed maintaining its sheen of character and reliability out of all the recent political humdrum? Does it need to take drastic steps against offenders to pass the public’s ‘Agni Pariksha’ to maintain its reverential image?

I do remember my civics lesson in junior school when The Election Commission of India was inculcated in our psyche as the most powerful and dignified entity of all, safe guarding the dignity and morality of our democracy by holding free and fair elections in our country with infinite stupendous powers and immunity over anything to everything during elections. We truly believed and still believe and conjecture both in awe and admiration of its  upholding the true spirit of our democracy alongside the four pillars of our constitution the Executive (Government), Legislature (Parliament & State Assemblies, etc), Judiciary (Supreme Court, High Court & Other Judicial centers) and of course our stalwart Media.

It seems the Political fraternity is reaping hay in blaming each other and using the lenience, moderation and high ethics of the honorable EC for their own political gains, they mistakenly are taking its silence as precursory to general weakness, which I consider to be completely off beam on their part. One can say that they are using the Media too in this game of controversies to catch the public eye but Media has to do what it knows best and that is ‘Report’ without being prejudicially biast. These political games are taking its toll by tarnishing the ECI’s image in the public eye.

The EC has to stand out by taking tough decisions and correct actions to safeguard itself and the spirit of democracy which we all hold so true in our mindsets and heart.  Any blot on its sheen would surely damage its image in the eyes of a billion odd people. Conceivably, for the first time in the history of Lok Sabha elections, politicians have challenged the commission to act against them. This audacity also displays many politicians completely and blatantly disregarding ECI dictates. It’s no secret that The ECI can take drastic action against all its offenders but there might be other reasons for its mild attitude towards such political abuse. The election of 2014 has a gigantic outlook and its periphery of duties, responsibilities and demography are just too  mammoth in proportions to be managed properly and effectively by it in order to conduct fair and free elections in the country. Even though EC is unsparing in its efforts, resources and temperament and fully concentrating all its energies in giving the above to the people of India. Though given all  its powers and vigilance the EC cannot be expected to look into trifling affairs or to find needles in the haystack as controversies, blame games, false reporting and complaints  run a havoc and are galore in catching the public eye through the media during election time and needless to say this happens every time during elections. In such a huge game of election its fair enough and understandable that small matters end up big and many tend go unreported but those which are of serious nature should not be left lacking strict action.

It is astonishing that the ECI’s Model Code of Conduct has bought about many leaders under its net for violations in the ongoing polls. The list includes the names of the high and mighty political bigwigs like Narendra Modi, Parkash Singh Badal, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Beni Prasad Verma etc. However, no one has faced any stern action so far. In most of the cases, the commission has let them go free with only a warning and this is what is actually acting as a stye in the public’s eye and many of the political juggernauts who want to use it as a weapon of sorts against their opponents. This ostensible game of hypocrisy and leniency to reasons known best to EC is somehow earning it a bad name. Now EC is in a quandary because strict vehement action against a populist leader is subject to public ire and of posing a grave danger to the security of the nation. Even though such violators of ECI model code of conduct do needs an exemplary scapegoat but of what stature or proportion is the million-dollar question? Let us consider Mr. Modi’s direct challenge to EC in holding a rally in Varanasi, which the EC had imposed a ban upon. What action should EC take? EC can and should thwart the rally by holding a limited curfew and deploying any number of paramilitary or military forces to snub the rally and maybe holding Mr. Modi in safe judicial custody for a day or two until the elections are over. However, a stricter action like cancellation of his candidature or a lawful punishment would not go down well with the public as he is being considered the prime ministerial candidate by a large section of the public. It is actually also prime duty of the EC to safeguard the candidates from any harm least of all from itself.

Clarity and transparency of EC’s actions also matter. For example, ECI in April barred BJP’s Amit Shah and SP’s Azam Khan from UP public rallies. But within a week of its decision, its poll panel revoked only Shah’s ban and not Azam Khan’s leaving the gates open for further controversy and mudslinging by a section of the public in favor of Azam Khan, even though EC was right in taking necessary action to avoid a piquant law and order situation in the sensitive region.

There are other instances where strict disciplinary action is sought after by the public as a onetime exemplary measure for keeping the EC’s Model Code of Conduct intact with all veneration. Listed below are some examples where EC has acted quite leniently and could have made example of its use of limitless powers to gain back its prestige in the eyes of all its critics:

Recently in May  HP State BJP president Satpal Singh Satti, complained to EC in the assembly segment ahead of polling for Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat accusing State Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri representing the Haroli constituency of flexing money, muscle power and affecting the working of the police to benefit his party’s prospects in elections. Though, EC only increased the security forces but still it could have gone a step further by taking some other action to maintain its image.

In another instance many political parties ended up  taking jibes at each other at the cost of EC’ s leniency to catch the public eye through the media. Like the JD(U) President Sharad Yadav criticizing  Mr. Modi for questioning the Election Commission. With TMC also  following suite with its bag full of woes against Mr. Mr. Modi to the ECI. TMC complained to EC against Mr. Modi for violating poll code by  seeking votes in the name of religion as In Asansole. TMC also brought forth  Mr. Modi’s  accusing the EC of acting impartially in the wake of BJP’s complaints of booth rigging in West Bengal, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh and daring it to take action against him though his  party later claimed it to be nothing more than a mere suggestion from him. TMC also complaint to EC against live telecast of speeches of course once again its missile aimed at BJP.

The The Congress claim of the Gujarat Police trying to “hush up” the case registered against Narendra Modi in an FIR on April 30 for poll code violation and urged the Election Commission to transfer the case to an agency outside the state. The Faizabad scenario where EC sought report on Mr. Modi’s speech where he invoked Lord Ram from the district authorities. The UP attorney journals confusion against EC for favoring BJP. AAP complaint to EC regarding Mr. Modi’s marital status and the Congress backing it up. Massive cash seizures by EC show the involvement of Black Money in Polls.. The tussle, bustle and hustle between BJP’ Smriti Irani and Congress Priyanka Vadra’s PA in Amethi. The EC rejecting AAP booth capturing and massive rigging complaint in Amethi including that of Rahul Gandhi visiting poll booths. The Army Chief naming controversy. The after 10 Pm canvassing by candidate’s clearance to Madras HC by EC. The Election Commission letting off former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi with a “warning” for support of pastors and bishops of various churches in Dumka  to support him and his party in the Lok Sabha elections. These are cases, which the Media has highlighted, and I bet there are more such incidents, which has escaped the Media’s attention and can be successfully used by ECI to set exemplary punishment for future election activities. The malignment of each other during political rallies and in speeches by the various leaders belonging to various political parties has broken a record of sorts during the current election.

Well The Election Commission of India certainly has to set an example by punishing some of the offenders to showcase and safeguard its integrity as a powerful institution in front of the electorate of India that it can chew more than it can bite and anyone flouting its rules and MCC is out for a hard time.

Note:

Dear Sagarji,
Please find attached the article for your kind perusal and record.

Thanks and Warm Regards,
Manu Sharma@outlook.com