Editorial
CEC continues to vitiate
We do not want another voter list fraught with anomalies
Instead of tendering his resignation which self-respect demanded since both the High Court and Supreme Court found his decisions unlawful, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) decided to script yet another act of the voter list drama on Thursday which is violation of the spirit of the two judgements. It appears that nothing is going to stop him from what he is bent on doingdiscredit the office of the Election Commission, to say the least. This time the Election Commission (EC) has announced that it is all set to begin the arduous task of updating the voter list from today, but it also made it known to all that it is not going to follow the rule of go-ing door to door. A bit of media digging reveals that though the work is to begin today, no budget has been prepared nor approved for the purpose. On top of it, there is a lack of proper directives and planning of the EC secretariat to provide guidance to the field level offi-cials and staff. With so many loose ends dangling around, the EC watchers now apprehend that the embedded complexi-ties in the procedure, such as, producing receipt of mu-nicipal tax or house rent, an affidavit of age or an at-tested copy of SSC certificate etc., are likely to discour-age prospective voters from coming forward for regis-tration, and that the costly exercise would once again produce another voter list fraught with anomalies. Election can be termed as a "festival of democracy." This national expression of "people's will" becomes an occasion to ensure the adult franchise in a bid to elect the true representatives of the people. The elected rep-resentatives then sit in parliament to run the affairs of the country as per the dictates of the constitution. Therefore, preparation of a flawless voter list is a pre-condition and a solemn responsibility that rests on the shoulders of the Election Commission. Obviously, the officials entrusted with the job are re-quired to perform to the best of their ability. But, the CEC in question, instead of coming up with his best has in his own peculiar way vitiated every attempt to pro-duce a voter list worth the name. He has been disre-spectful to the directive of the High Court and subse-quently that of the Supreme Court. It has gone down in the record books how he has taken his own sweet time to react to the SC directive with regard to preparation of a fresh voter list. Henceforth, it may be said that CEC's ideas and actions have turned out to be a chronology of misadventures at the cost of national resource and pa-tience. We strongly hold the view that an EC without the present controversial CEC hanging around would per-form better with regard to preparation of an updated voter list. We hope the authorities will take the people's concern seriously for the greater interest of the nation without wasting further time.
|
|
