The name Tirunellai Narayana Iyer Seshan many not strike any chord with the new generation. But you say TN Seshan and even the brash among political leaders may stand up in reverence. It is no exaggeration if one tells that people in the country learnt about the significance of the post of Chief Election Commissioner only after Seshan assumed the post in December 1990. For six years when Seshan was the boss of Nirvachan Sadan, booth capturers and vote merchants disappeared altogether.
“I am like a football referee. I don’t have any role except supervising the match so long the players stick to the rules of the game. Ill not interfere. But the moment I am convinced that the play is going out of control, Ill pull out the yellow and red cards from my pocket and show it to the persons who err. If they continue with breaking of rules , I may have to sound the whistle and call off the match,” said Seshan immediately after taking over as the Chief Election Commissioner.
True to his warning, he sounded the whistle during the 1991 Lok sabha election, one of the most violent elections the country has seen. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was campaigning at SriPerumbudur near Chennai was killed by a human bomb owing allegiance to the LTTE . Seshan, who is a seasoned astrologer had told his friend Rajiv Gandhi to be careful as the stars were not in favourable constellation. The nest six years saw the election process undergoing major changes under the watchful eyes of Seshan. Politicians went o the extent of describing him as a bull in the China shop , Al Seshan (in synch with the canine whose growling is sufficient to sccare away strangers) and Tough Nut Seshan!
Age has tamed this lion as the former IAS officer who turned 86 last December needs the help of two-three aides to move around. “His weight is a problem as he weighs 150 kg. But nothing is wrong with his mental prowess as he is aware of what is happening around. Seshan keeps track of all events through newspapers and radio,” said Swamy Sunil Das of Sneham Charitable Trust, who is in touch with the former CEC on a daily basis.
Seshan stays at Jaya, a house which he purchased after retirement from IAS at St Mary’s Road, Alwarpet, Chennai. His spouse Jayalakshmi passed away on 2018. A group of aides are always in attendance to help the ‘master’ who has not stopped roaring commands . Election Commissioners and Chief Election Commissioners would come and go. But each general election brings to mind the name of Seshan, who streamlined the complex election process in India. Malayatoor Ramakrishnan, himself a former IAS officer, had written a short story with Seshan as central character. What does a public servant want in life?
