Former Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan passes away

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to condole his demise. “Shri TN Seshan was an outstanding civil servant. He served India with utmost diligence and integrity. His efforts towards electoral reforms have made our democracy stronger and more participative,” Modi tweeted.

A 1955 batch IAS officer who served as the Cabinet Secretary, Tirunellai Narayana Iyer Seshan was appointed the 10th CEC on December 12, 1990.

In 1996, Seshan received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his role in cleaning up the electoral process in the country. He also unsuccessfully contested the presidential elections against KR Narayanan in 1997.

Seshan is widely credited for ushering in electoral reforms that changed the face of Indian elections. One of them was the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, which is a set of guidelines issued to regulate political parties and candidates prior to elections.

IAS Association expressed their condolence on Seshan and former bureaucrat P S Krishnan’s demise. “A sad day indeed. We have lost two of our best senior members – T N Seshan (1955) and P S Krishnan (1956). True role models- they set standards of public service we all aspire for. Loss for nation and society.”

Former CEC SY Quraishi called him a “true legend and a guiding force for all his successors.”

Calling him a “pillar of our democracy,” Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said Seshan was “courageous and a crusty boss who asserted the ElectionCommission’s autonomy and authority as no CEC before him had done.”

“Saddened to know about the demise of T.N. Seshan, a stalwart for free and fair elections. His legendary contribution to democracy will be always remembered. My condolences to his family and many admirers,” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

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