Author: Editorial
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: March 25, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/164914/Biased-against-BJP.html
Election Commission shows true colours
The Election Commission of India clearly transgressed
its jurisdiction and went well beyond its constitutionally mandated remit
while asking the BJP not to field Mr Varun Gandhi as its candidate for the
Lok Sabha election. Given this simple fact, it is not surprising that the
BJP should have rejected the Election Commission's not-so-innocent 'suggestion';
not to have done so would have been disastrous for the party, demoralising
for its cadre and set a dangerous precedent for curtailing the independence
of political parties. Three points need to be stressed while explaining why
Mr Gandhi's alleged utterances at public meetings do not qualify for the Election
Commission's aggressive intervention and its attempt to arm-twist the BJP
into dumping its candidate for Pilibhit constituency in Uttar Pradesh. First,
Mr Gandhi is yet to file his nomination papers, which means the public meetings
addressed by him cannot be treated as election campaign rallies that are governed
by the Election Commission's 'model code of conduct'. Second, the Election
Commission should not allow its judgement to be clouded by media hype. Nirvachan
Sadan cannot start issuing notices and demanding punitive action against individuals
just because a section of the media decides to play judge and jury, as it
has done in this particular instance. Mr Gandhi has been painted by some newspapers
and news channels in the bleakest of colours without being given an opportunity
to defend himself. Sadly, the Election Commission has chosen to legitimise
this trial by media by acting on the basis of second hand information. Third,
If Mr Gandhi has indeed violated any law of the land, it is for the courts
to decide whether he is actually guilty of the charges. The Election Commission
cannot arrogate to itself the role and responsibility of the judiciary.
But this is not merely about Mr Gandhi's alleged
offence. It is about the Election Commission gradually expanding its powers
without bothering about whether its activism is beginning to fetch diminishing
returns. The Election Commission's job is to ensure the conduct of free and
fair polls. What we have been witnessing is the emergence of a power-hungry
Election Commission which appears to get vicarious pleasure out of browbeating
petty officials, senior bureaucrats and politicians. Not satisfied with getting
officials transferred and harassing politicians, the Election Commission has
virtually created a situation whereby governance comes to a halt for the entire
duration of polls. Such is the fear psychosis that bureaucrats refuse to clear
files or take decisions; given the lethargy that afflicts officialdom, election
season only makes matters worse, robbing Government - both at the Centre and
in the States - of all authority. The mess is further compounded by the Election
Commission's political biases: Had Nirvachan Sadan been truly autonomous,
a notice would have been issued to the Congress for its communal campaign
in Chandigarh where a senior leader of the party openly sought Muslim votes
in the name of shari'ah. The gulf that separates the pretended morality of
the Election Commission and its deeds gives the lie to its intentions. In
Mr Gandhi's case, the intention was clearly to hobble the BJP, not to ensure
free and fair polling in Pilibhit.
