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India’s Election Commission under cloud, top men in fight
WSN Network

NEW DELHI: Even as India began its tryst with democracy once again by announcing the election dates, a huge question mark hangs over the entire exercise. Serious doubts will continue to linger on the Indian Parliamentary elections as the man set to head the all powerful Election Commission of India, Navin Chawla, will be taking over on April 20 from the current CEC N Gopalaswami who had told the President of India that Chawala should be sacked. More than 200 Indian MPs had petitioned the President in writing that Chawla was corrupt and biased and should be sacked.

Now, President Pratibha Patil has rejected chief election commissioner Gopalaswami’s recommendation and after Gopalaswami demits office on April 20, Chawla will be the CEC.

The Congress-led UPA government had earlier indicated that Chawla will not be removed. and will in fact occupy the top EC post soon. As for the Government of India, it has gone on record to say that the man who called the shots all this while, Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami, was batting for the opposition BJP. There could not have been a worse slur from the two principal quarters in Indian politics on the other and the reputation of the watchdog Election Commission of India lies in tatters.

One can only imagine what the future holds as far as the credibility of the decision making process is concerned. In its 20-page confidential note on the basis of which the President rejected Gopalaswami’s recommendation to sack Chawla, the Law Ministry said CEC Gopalaswami allowed mutual distrust to grow, and took advantage of the situation “to create grounds for Chawla’s removal, which BJP wanted.” The government also said that it could have been forced to appoint a sitting or a retired Supreme Court judge to inquire into the allegations and it would have further eroded the Commission’s standing.

4 March 2009
 

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