Big query mark over Election Commission’s equity in previous few years: Prashant Bhushan

By PTI

NAGPUR: Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Sunday mentioned the equity of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has come underneath cloud in the previous few years.

He accused the ECI of protecting mum when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate the ballot code, whereas performing swiftly towards the opposition events in such instances, and likewise claimed that the schedule of elections is made protecting in thoughts the comfort of the federal government.

Bhushan alleged that the independence of the judiciary is underneath menace and people talking towards the federal government face sedition and different critical expenses, and they don’t seem to be in a position to get bail for years.

He was talking on the subject ‘Challenges earlier than Democracy ‘ throughout a programme organised right here by ‘Deshonnati’, a Marathi each day.

“After T N Seshan became the chief election commissioner, for many years we could see that the Election Commission was very fair and impartial. But in the last six to seven years, a big question mark has arisen on its fairness,” he mentioned.

The Election Commission takes motion if the Model code of conduct is violated by the opposition events. But it retains quiet when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate it. We have been witnessing this for a really very long time, he alleged.

The election dates are ready as per the comfort of the federal government, he mentioned.

“Earlier, even the government did not know what dates will be decided by the EC for elections. But now, it is being witnessed that representatives of the ruling party even before the formal announcement tell what the polling dates are and the same dates are later announced by the EC,” he mentioned.

“The reason for the EC not being fair anymore. The problem with this has always been the selection in the poll watchdog is done by the government and there is no independent selection committee. And now, what the government is doing is that it is selecting people mostly from Gujarat and they are those who will do what the government will ask them to do. This also is an issue before democracy,” he mentioned.

Bhushan additionally alleged that there was an absence of independence in all regulatory establishments, and termed it as one of many greatest issues. He mentioned the judiciary was fashioned to guard the basic rights of individuals and to maintain the legislature and the chief inside limits.

“But now we are seeing that this is not happening. Those speaking against the government are facing sedition and sometimes false cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They are not able to get bail for years and this is being done blatantly. Our judiciary is not able to act against it. Hence, the independence of the judiciary is also under threat,” he mentioned.

“Media is also being controlled by the government. The police agencies are also being used for political use. The selection of some agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Income Tax department is completely in the hands of the government, which has put democracy in real danger,” he alleged.

On the digital voting machines (EVMs), he mentioned that though there was no important manipulation in EVMs at current, within the coming occasions it can’t be dominated out.

“There is a possibility of manipulation and I feel EVMs are very dangerous. Paper ballots should return and they have returned in most of the countries,” he mentioned.

In order to sort out these challenges, a lot of reforms will be introduced by introducing Initiatives and Referendum regulation, Pre-legislative Transparency and Consultation regulation, he mentioned, including that parliamentary committees needs to be revived.

Since the opposition has turn into weak now, these reforms can’t be executed by it alone and therefore individuals want to boost their voices now. They can elevate voices towards unfair practices like which was executed for the Lokpal Bill.

People can launch massive agitations on points like unemployment and privatisation of public sector models, which will even strengthen the opposition, he mentioned.

Replying to a question by PTI on the sidelines of the programme about why the Supreme Court was not taking on the difficulty of electoral bonds on a precedence foundation, Bhushan mentioned the federal government was not within the situation and doubtless they had been stalling it.

“However, with the new Chief Justice of India at the helm, the matter will be heard,” he mentioned.

Bhushan has filed a PIL difficult legal guidelines allowing funding of political events by way of the electoral bond scheme.

When requested whether or not the opposition events would be capable of put up a united struggle towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the subsequent elections, he mentioned he was undecided whether or not united opposition can be a good suggestion or not.

“But, in any case, civil society needs to play a major role to any major political change is to be brought in the country,” he mentioned.

NAGPUR: Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Sunday mentioned the equity of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has come underneath cloud in the previous few years.

He accused the ECI of protecting mum when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate the ballot code, whereas performing swiftly towards the opposition events in such instances, and likewise claimed that the schedule of elections is made protecting in thoughts the comfort of the federal government.

Bhushan alleged that the independence of the judiciary is underneath menace and people talking towards the federal government face sedition and different critical expenses, and they don’t seem to be in a position to get bail for years.

He was talking on the subject ‘Challenges earlier than Democracy ‘ throughout a programme organised right here by ‘Deshonnati’, a Marathi each day.

“After T N Seshan became the chief election commissioner, for many years we could see that the Election Commission was very fair and impartial. But in the last six to seven years, a big question mark has arisen on its fairness,” he mentioned.

The Election Commission takes motion if the Model code of conduct is violated by the opposition events. But it retains quiet when massive leaders from the ruling celebration violate it. We have been witnessing this for a really very long time, he alleged.

The election dates are ready as per the comfort of the federal government, he mentioned.

“Earlier, even the government did not know what dates will be decided by the EC for elections. But now, it is being witnessed that representatives of the ruling party even before the formal announcement tell what the polling dates are and the same dates are later announced by the EC,” he mentioned.

“The reason for the EC not being fair anymore. The problem with this has always been the selection in the poll watchdog is done by the government and there is no independent selection committee. And now, what the government is doing is that it is selecting people mostly from Gujarat and they are those who will do what the government will ask them to do. This also is an issue before democracy,” he mentioned.

Bhushan additionally alleged that there was an absence of independence in all regulatory establishments, and termed it as one of many greatest issues. He mentioned the judiciary was fashioned to guard the basic rights of individuals and to maintain the legislature and the chief inside limits.

“But now we are seeing that this is not happening. Those speaking against the government are facing sedition and sometimes false cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They are not able to get bail for years and this is being done blatantly. Our judiciary is not able to act against it. Hence, the independence of the judiciary is also under threat,” he mentioned.

“Media is also being controlled by the government. The police agencies are also being used for political use. The selection of some agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Income Tax department is completely in the hands of the government, which has put democracy in real danger,” he alleged.

On the digital voting machines (EVMs), he mentioned that though there was no important manipulation in EVMs at current, within the coming occasions it can’t be dominated out.

“There is a possibility of manipulation and I feel EVMs are very dangerous. Paper ballots should return and they have returned in most of the countries,” he mentioned.

In order to sort out these challenges, a lot of reforms will be introduced by introducing Initiatives and Referendum regulation, Pre-legislative Transparency and Consultation regulation, he mentioned, including that parliamentary committees needs to be revived.

Since the opposition has turn into weak now, these reforms can’t be executed by it alone and therefore individuals want to boost their voices now. They can elevate voices towards unfair practices like which was executed for the Lokpal Bill.

People can launch massive agitations on points like unemployment and privatisation of public sector models, which will even strengthen the opposition, he mentioned.

Replying to a question by PTI on the sidelines of the programme about why the Supreme Court was not taking on the difficulty of electoral bonds on a precedence foundation, Bhushan mentioned the federal government was not within the situation and doubtless they had been stalling it.

“However, with the new Chief Justice of India at the helm, the matter will be heard,” he mentioned.

Bhushan has filed a PIL difficult legal guidelines allowing funding of political events by way of the electoral bond scheme.

When requested whether or not the opposition events would be capable of put up a united struggle towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the subsequent elections, he mentioned he was undecided whether or not united opposition can be a good suggestion or not.

“But, in any case, civil society needs to play a major role to any major political change is to be brought in the country,” he mentioned.