Another voice to the pressing agenda

The Election Commission (EC) should not only be seen to be free and impartial it must also be able to act impartially. It must be made free of anything that has the remotest possibility of administrative influence or of the possibility of its having to act at anybody else's bidding. Thus, there cannot be two opinions about the need for a totally independent secretariat of the EC. The EC being a statutory body must also have full budgetary independence as well as complete freedom to employ its own staff like the Returning Officers.

Certainly, what the CEC has recommended reverberate the thoughts, views and the recommendations of the media, the civil society and the concerned citizens at large on the need for reform in the electoral process. However, we feel that there are some more important provisos that should be included in the reform agenda. For instance, it is imperative that the inherent right of the public, to know fully about the persons they are going to vote for, is ensured. The candidacy information like his police record and his bank loan status must be made available to the public and open to scrutiny. One could not also put too much stress on the compulsion for appropriate reform to free the elections of the influence of money and muscle power. All political parties must also be registered with the EC.

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While the CEC must be commended for his suggestions, we are constrained to comment that such wisdom pours out of civil servants and people holding exalted and important positions, only on the eve of their departure from office, or when they have gone on retirement, but not in harness. It would have been much better had the CEC proffered these suggestions well in time to see these considered and implemented.

Electoral reform is something we had been constantly advocating for. But can any such reform be brought about without a political consensus?