Election Commission’s management of West Bengal polls has been worse than poor. It hasn’t been even-handed in its treatment of the main political players. This has damaged its credibility. The new CEC Sushil Chandra has inherited a stained legacy. India will be watching closely where it heads under his watch.
Babri judge as deputy Lokayukta-UP raises questions about conflict of interest in judiciary
Appointing retired CBI judge Surendra Kumar Yadav who acquitted 32 Babri accused as deputy Lokayukta-UP is not only bad optics but also murky politics. This comes after former CJI Ranjan Gogoi’s Rajya Sabha nomination. Cooling off period notwithstanding, this raises questions about partisanship and conflict of interest in the judiciary.
The media has a penchant for” now and here” and “shock and awe”. It is a blot on the free press of India that media gets away with “murder” (of news and facts) often.
West Bengal emerged from communal blood bath in the pre- and post-independence times. The seeds of violence in the ethos of West Bengal politics were sown in the 1960s. Killings and violence have been part of West Bengal politics all through the years since the 1960s, when Congress, Left and TMC regimes were in power. These violent political behaviours are officially recorded and available in various places for those who want details.
To blame this violence and aftermath on the CEC is a bit farfetched.
Tailpiece: Always and every time the media has been using the Government and and the administration as punching bags to garner readership/viewership. Who will hold the media accountable?
As demonstrated multiple times by Trump, what is customary is not mandatory. There ought to be clearly codified rules for the roles retired judges, bureaucrats, military personnel can take up post retirement to prevent any former CJI-esq episodes.
Also, would like to know what is it that the editor is alluding to as not “even-handed” treatment by the EC. If it’s Mamta’s 24 hour ban and lack of corresponding punishment for a certain Sinha, then, I would strongly argue that the punishment was not harsh enough in both cases. We shouldn’t be arguing for exempting Mamta simply because the BJP got away scot free, but should be asking for exemplary punishment in both cases.
EC’s credibility can be measured with voter turnout. High turnout means people trust that Election Commission is conducting free and fair polls.
Are you serious about the EC? My God. If not for EC and central forces, Mamata would have rigged each and every vote in each every booth. It’s credibility is not at stake. What is at stake here is you media houses editorial views which didn’t even write a single word condemning Mamata’s calls for violence by asking people to gherao Central forces. Are you all nuts? Are you all so high that you refuse to see any wrong doings of any party other than the BJP? You people went gaga over one stupid silly comment of a CM on jeans but not on a sitting CM’s call for violence over central forces. And you people wonder why so many watch “commando comic channels”. I am extremely disappointed ( and frustrated even) that Shekhar ji and thePrint who i regarded as an unbiased media org has been so blind to mamata’s violence calls, her candidates call for 3/4 Pakistans etc. I guess the entire press is out to get modi out. You keep pulling biased nonsense like this and you will soon lose whatever credibility you have left. And I say this as a long time viewer of thePrint.
The EC appointed to the vacancy caused by the retirement of Shri Sunil Arora should be an officer who has a lifelong reputation of aloofness from the political class. Perhaps an outstanding lady mandarin.
Shri S K Yadav could echo the thoughts of someone higher up the food chain. If there was a deal, it would have been worth much more than this assignment.