Columnists

S Y Quraishi

Quraishi is former Chief Election Commissioner.

Supreme Court could have removed secrecy around electoral bonds. Too bad it didn’t

Thu, Apr 08, 2021

As former finance minister Arun Jaitley said in his budget speech in 2017, without transparency of political funding, free and fair elections are not possible

Bihar can be a leading example of how to successfully conduct a poll in difficult times

Thu, Nov 12, 2020

After facing some serious questions during the general elections in 2019, that affected its image, the Bihar elections were an opportunity for the ECI to prove its efficiency and evenhandedness to every sceptic.

People-meters have a history of manipulation. Huge penetration of Direct-to-Home television offers a solution

Sat, Oct 10, 2020

The manipulation does not involve just financial fraud, but a bigger crime of fraud on the people’s right to know the truth, which the media is morally and legally bound to provide, instead of fake news and manufactured hate narratives.

There are several models that can both preserve media independence as well as regulate it

Fri, Sep 25, 2020

Whichever model it chooses, the Supreme Court must not fall prey to the diversionary tactics of vested interests. It should also see this case as an opportunity to change the image of inaction and insensitivity it has unfortunately acquired during the last couple of years.

In Bihar, EC’s challenge: To ensure level playing field in a mostly virtual campaign

Fri, Aug 21, 2020

S Y Quraishi writes: Can the virtual rallies replace the door-to-door and large-scale physical campaigning that are the heart and soul of any democratic election? Not really.

Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections will hold lessons for India’s Election Commission ahead of Bihar polls

Mon, Aug 03, 2020

So far, South Korea has been the template. Sri Lanka may provide some more insights.

In this time of crisis, the most urgent imperative is to protect underprivileged families from starvation

Sat, Jun 27, 2020

There is an urgent requirement to put money in the hands of the impoverished to support them during the pandemic. This has been the refrain of the Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee. Further, the government must tighten the implementation of its critical schemes related to nutrition, food security and healthcare.

Our children need a happy, congenial environment to grow up in, not a climate of fear

Wed, Apr 29, 2020

If the formative years are so crucial, it is vital that what a child is exposed to is healthy and positive. In the global village, there are streams of messages floating around, generated by mutual hatred. Children are mercilessly left to infer what they can from these.

A weak rebuke: It’s unfortunate EC didn’t punish hate speech in Delhi campaign

Sat, Feb 15, 2020

Not taking action under the IPC encouraged the worthies like Parvesh Sahib Singh Varma to commit a repeat offence of indulging in a vitriolic diatribe against the Delhi CM for which the EC indicted him a second time within a week.

He put fear of God in recalcitrant politicians, was respected by all… Good bye, Mr Seshan

Mon, Nov 11, 2019

The awe and fear he evoked in us bordered on terror. Nobody had the guts to argue with him, not to speak of falling foul of him.

As Sri Lanka prepares for presidential polls, its Election Commission is the winner

Thu, Oct 24, 2019

The participation of youth was a common concern. There are nearly 3,00,000 first-time voters and the general opinion was that there would be a sense of apathy in them.

A protege’s tribute

Thu, Aug 08, 2019

Sushma Swaraj was a leader of courage and stature, an original thinker and doer.

Slipping on democracy

Tue, Feb 26, 2019

A recent Democracy Index confirms the paradox of India being the world’s largest electoral wonder, but an increasingly flawed democracy.

Not the EVM again

Thu, Jan 24, 2019

The accusers swap places with accused, and a contrived controversy goes on

Beyond binaries

Tue, Dec 04, 2018

A multi-pronged approach is needed to ensure the socio-economic uplift of the transgender community.

Court’s lost chance

Sat, Sep 29, 2018

Election Commission has been seeking SC’s aid to stem criminalisation of politics. Its verdict falls short.

Performing moderately

Sat, Sep 15, 2018

A new state of democracy report records a significant dip in India’s record on civil liberties, personal integrity and security, freedom of association, media integrity, gender equality

What I saw in Pakistan

Fri, Aug 03, 2018

Its general election was conducted in a transparent manner, with robust processes

Karnataka leftovers

Thu, Jun 07, 2018

The political drama has stoked important questions about parties, alliances, and the role of governor

Elections in the time of Cambridge Analytica

Fri, May 11, 2018

Stricter data protection laws are required to ensure that political parties do not indulge in practices that involve undue influencing of voting behaviour.

Lawmakers with perks

Mon, Feb 26, 2018

The long list of exemptions has made the office of profit a farce. Delhi Assembly case is an opportunity to debate the issue afresh.

The duty of the young

Sat, Jan 13, 2018

Since the politicians would do nothing to inform the youth about the socio-economic problems facing the nation today and only exploit them, it is the responsibility of civil society organisations and the media to educate young people.

In Nepal, with hope

Tue, Dec 12, 2017

Holding of the parliamentary and provincial elections is a huge achievement, a culmination of a tortuous process that started in 2006. The people now await development and stability.

And the winner is Election Commission

Thu, Aug 10, 2017

Gujarat Rajya Sabha election was BJP versus Congress. But it’s the ECI that covered itself in glory

Cleaning the House

Mon, Jul 24, 2017

Must tainted legislators be debarred from polls? For how long? Answers are about to come in