Chennai: “It is a shame....politicians who bribe and voters who accept cash for votes in Tamil Nadu have not learnt lesson despite the Election Commission cancelling elections in the past,” says former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N. Gopalaswami while another former CEC T. S. Krishnamurthy questioning the source of funding for the political parties argues time now is appropriate for electoral reforms especially incorporating public funding for elections.
Both the former top officials justify EC’s action and argue this solution will hold water till people changed their mindset.
Politicians have made elections a joke: N. Gopalaswami
The point is even when one fellow disrupts, the level playing field gets disturbed. I don’t agree with the argument that the rich parties can weather this loss (of cancellation) and get ready once again and the underdog will find it impossible.
They are all politicians and are to be blamed. They have made this election a joke in the entire country. No other state – there have been half-a-dozen by-elections in Tamil Nadu, and in no other place there has been cancellation of polls due to distribution of money. Not only distribution of money there is great enthusiasm for receiving that money. You try giving this money in Kerala and see. They have self respect.
It not a failure on the part of EC to prevent the money flow. The argument that once the model code of conduct comes into force the administration comes under the control EC is all theory. For every 50 voters, each party appoints a contact person for giving money. And 24 / 7 any time the money can be passed. Do you think any administration can ever reach this kind of proportion, just calculate. With three lakh voters of R. K. Nagar constituency, EC will should have 3,000 observers to prevent this and they should be at the spot all 24 hours and shadow every person to be able to stop this distribution. Are we talking sense? Then why blame the EC? I could have repeatedly cancelled the polls.
That is the shame. The election is being cancelled for the third time in a year. Twice the commission shamed us by postponing the election. We have not learnt any lesson nor have we changed our views. We are corrupt and we are now saying that we continue to be corrupt. How many times can it be cancelled. Let the commission keep on canceling the elections, seems to be the attitude. The important point is about Rs 4,000 was given to each voter. Where does that person get the money from? Through phenomenal corruption in the administration in the state. Unless you stop corruption, there can’t be a remedy.
Loopholes in law encourage politicians to bribe voters: T. S. Krishnamurthy
I have not read the order. All that I can say is the Election Commission must have examined all the facts and circumstances and come to a conclusion that there was no possibility of free and fair polls. Unless and until I go through all the facts and circumstances of the case I will not be able to say whether the decision to cancel the by-poll is fair or not. My own feeling is that the Commission must have taken into account all the pros and cons and one must leave the freedom to the constitutional authority to decide which is right or wrong. I am sure, there is scope for agitating against the order.
I agree it (cancellation) is again a punishment in the sense that it affects innocent ones but the problem is you have to clean the present system, which has gone bad. This should go. Secondly, you must ensure that funding of elections is not done by political parties through corporate donations. There is a need to review the entire funding of the political parties, whether they should get donations from corporates. In my opinion they should not. This must be banned. Whichever company wants to donate, it must be given to national election fund and that money can be used for conducting elections. All these only portends that there is a need for urgent reforms.
Under the prevailing circumstances there are loopholes in law. How can you say EC has failed. EC can do only within certain limited position. And when law permits cash distribution, you mean to say EC can go to each house and find out how much cash the voters received. But, this must be prevented. Funding of election should be done in new form. Nobody has faith in many police officials. How much of central police can you get? Can we have policeman for every house” It is impossible. You have to accept that the situation is bad and situation needs to be reformed and there is an urgent need to find out how elections can be funded.
