New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) S Y Quraishi, who was the chief election commissioner during the UPA-II government, has said he faced no pressure from the government during his tenure and asserted that the image of the poll body was such back then that “nobody would dare” to do such a thing.
In an interview with PTI Videos, Quraishi also said the government was always the last to know when the elections were going to be held.
Asked whether he faced any pressure during his tenure as CEC from July 30, 2010 till June 10, 2012, Quraishi said, “No, not at all. There was no question of any pressure because the image of the election commission was such that nobody would dare to approach us.” “And as regards the dates of the election, I know that IB (Intelligence Bureau) was roaming around the election building just to smell and sniff around what the dates are. The government was always the last to know when we were going to hold the election,” he said.
“We used to announce it in a press conference. That is the time when the government also got to know,” he asserted.
When asked if he feels that the situation has changed now, Quraishi said he doesn’t think so.
“I don’t know. I don’t think so. I hope not but I have no information about it,” he said.
Quraishi made the remarks to PTI Videos ahead of the launch of his new book ‘India and I: A Hundred Memories, Not a Memoir’. The book, published by Hachette India, throws light on 100 episodes from Quraishi’s life.
His remarks come amid opposition allegations that the current Election Commission is working in collusion with the government.
The Congress and other opposition parties have alleged that the EC is functioning and taking decisions at the behest of the government, a charge denied both by the poll body and the government. PTI ASK SKY SKY
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