Editorial
EC's request denied
Is govt's refusal politically motivated?
WE are stunned by the government's refusal to deploy army during the upcoming Union Parishad election even after official request from the Election Commission (EC). Here we are watching a strange drama taking place between the government and the EC. By refusing to deploy army, the government apparently has not broken any law, but it sure has snubbed the EC and has considerably compromised its autonomy. After all EC is the constitutionally designated body to hold free and fair election. The Election Commission deemed it necessary to ask for army deployment under present circumstances and we think they were the best judge to do so. But the government obviously thought otherwise.
We feel the government's refusal has curbed EC's independence. Its judgment has been ignored and rejected and EC's image has been significantly damaged. We wonder what were the actual reasons for the authority to reject EC's proposal? The government is reported to have said that deploying army during a local government election like UP is unprecedented. However, the government's sitting on judgment on Election Commission's wisdom itself is unprecedented. The argument that Union Parishad election is a local affair where party line does not hold sway is not an acceptable position. We know members of all political parties have been taking part in the elections over the years.
There are many things that happen for the first time -- deployment of army for two and a half months to combat crime in a democratic society is also something the people of the country witnessed for the first time. The government also seems to have contradicted itself in snubbing the EC. If law and order has greatly improved since Operation Clean Heart began in October, then why are the army still continuing with their mission? Why have they not been withdrawn if the government is happy with the present law and order? We can't help feel that the government was more concerned with the political implications of army deployment during the election than with holding of a free and fair election. We strongly believe that the action of the government is not wise. EC must be allowed to hold the elections in a manner that it deems necessary. Denying EC's request amounts to interfering with its work.
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