Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday here lauded the Election Commission(EC)for holding polls that have earned global accolades, saying there will always be an urge to criticise it to get the best of it.
He also said the independence of the poll panel is never a casualty as the bureaucracy is so trained and the election machinery so greased and fuelled.
His remarks came against the backdrop of the opposition's attacks on the EC over alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls, allegations of fudges voter turnout data and the efficacy of electronic voting machines.
Addressing a book launch event, Dhankhar said "We have an Election Commission that has worked. And it has worked in a fashion that global recognition is coming to it. Many countries in the world want their elections to be overseen by our Election Commission."
There will always be, the vice president said, an urge to criticise to get the best of it. "But we all are assured because our bureaucracy is so trained. Our election machinery is so greased and fuelled. Independence is never a casualty". Dhankhar, who is also the Rajya Sabha chairperson, said a functional Parliament is quintessential to the survival of democracy because it is Parliament that allows the power of expression.
"A power of expression where no one can question. What you say in Parliament, you are immunised from any other concern, you can't be taken to civil court, you can't feel culpability in it. When you have that supreme authority, that no matter what you say in Parliament, no citizen of this country can take recourse to law if they are hurt," he said explaining parliamentary privileges. He said it puts a heavy obligation on Parliament itself. The privileges come with "heavy responsibility," he explained.
The vice president opined that Parliament is the "most possible" platform for the representation of the people.
"... Most possible because eligibility to vote has an age factor and those below that age are not entitled to reflect themselves. Therefore it is not very idealistic, but it is very close to idealism. So Parliament reflects the will of the people," he said.
One of Parliament's powers is to hold the executive accountable. He said the executive is held accountable only through a parliamentary mechanism which is based on dialogue, debate, discussion and deliberation.
He said Parliament is not a place for a free fall of information and not a place to settle scores with people or institutions that cannot have their say in Parliament.
