Sir — The recent call by Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar to the people that they should vote twice in the lok Sabha poll, is unfortunate and deserves to be condemned. How can a senior politician, a Union Minister and a political veteran like him even talk like thisIJ This is a clear attempt to indulge in electoral malpractice by taking advantage of multi-phase polling as well as a betrayal of his anxiety to win this election by hook or crook.
The Election Commission should act firmly to stop such nonsense. Unfortunately, it has limited powers. Going by the rule book, the EC can barely debar a candidate, or stop a leader from electioneering or even temporarily withdraw recognition to a party while an inquiry is pending.