Money and muscle worry parties as EC turns 60

Coming together for the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Election Commission of India,the whos who of politics on Monday hailed the ECI as one of the most credible institutions in India....

Coming together for the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Election Commission of India,the whos who of politics on Monday hailed the ECI as one of the most credible institutions in India,even as they expressed concern over the growing influence of money and muscle power and criminalisation in politics,and asked the poll panel to take corrective measures. President Pratibha Patil inaugurated the celebrations as the ECI turned 60 on Monday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said it was a matter of great concern that educated professionals and growing middle class shied away from the electoral process. Vice-President M Hamid Ansari dubbed the trend of paid news and surrogate advertisements as a blot on the democratic process. Leaders agreed with Speaker Meira Kumar who said the ECs track record in conducting 15 Lok Sabha elections and 326 Assembly elections had been exemplary.

The political class stressed on measures for electoral reforms. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi called for measures to check the growing influence of money and muscle power and criminalisation of politics. NDA convener Sharad Yadav asked the EC to be responsive to the growing hurdles faced by the common man on the voting day. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the EC should undertake a stock-taking exercise.

On the demand of barring criminals from entering the electoral fray,Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi said this was part of the reforms roadmap submitted to the Centre in 2004. On suggestions to further strengthen the EC,Chief Election Commissioner Navin B Chawla said there should be parity in the procedure of removal of the three Election Commissioners,since the three Commissioners enjoy equal powers. He has written to the government on this.

On the scourge of paid news,the EC said the panel would hold consultations with the Press Council of India,with Election Commissioner V S Sampath stressing on a mechanism to identify paid news from news items. A commemorative stamp was also released.

sushma left out

l Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj felt a tad left out during the lighting of the lamp at the function. President Pratibha Patil,Vice-President M Hamid Ansari,Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh,Speaker Meira Kumar and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi did the honours.

l SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav,SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal and BJP president Nitin Gadkari were seated together in the front row. NCPs Sharad Pawar later sat next to Gadkari and photographers made a scramble to click them together. MoS Sachin Pilot was seen greeting leaders of various political parties

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l CPMs Prakash Karat and CPIs A B Bardhan were seen together. Trinamools Mamata Banerjee was seated next to BJPs Arun Jaitley,and she chose not to be seen with the Left leaders.

l AIADMKs J Jayalalithaa was seen in the Capital after a long time. PDPs Mehbooba Mufti and NCs Omar Abdullah were also present. PRP chief Chiranjeevi was present with a large contingent of party leaders. Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik was a much-sought-after man.

l Om Prakash Chautala was one of the leaders who stayed back for lunch which saw a large number of diplomats,civil society organisations representatives and EC officials exchanging views on a host of subjects.

l Badal told one of the ECs at the beginning of the function: We are afraid of the EC and nobody else. This was narrated by Swaraj,suggesting that the EC was respected by one and all.