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Journalism of Courage
Salman Khurshids defiance of the EC taints his office and his record
Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid doesnt have a reputation for putting his foot in his mouth. Usually articulate,he is well aware of the law and of due process. Thats why it is hard not to interpret his defiance of the Election Commission as premeditated or deliberate. Thats why it needs to be strongly condemned.
This did give Khurshid cheers on the cheap but,in the process,demeaned his office and his record. He knows that the EC can do little. The BJPs call that the minister be banned from campaigning may be smart politics but,legally,is dodgy. Also,the candidate Louise Khurshid Salman Khurshids wife,for whom the minister was campaigning,hasnt been accused of violating the code. So the Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishis anguished letter to the president seeking
her immediate and decisive intervention is a call to the government and the party not to further strain the delicate balance between constitutional authorities. Whether Khurshid heeds that call is open to question. For,just weeks ago during the Lokpal debate he took a swipe at the EC underlining that it was his ministry that had administrative control over the institution. Quraishi had then complained to the prime minister who assured him of the ECs functional autonomy. That assurance needs to be repeated and the minister for law and justice should be told where to get off.
