Era Sezhiyan, regarded by lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan as one of the best parliamentarians in the country breathed his last on Tuesday morning. He was 94. The end came at Vellore Institute of Technology campus where he was an Emeritus Professor.
Sezhiyan, a member of the DMK, was a two-time member of the lok Sabha (1962 and 1967). In 1978, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MG Rmachandran got him elected to the Rajya Sabha following a special request made by the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai. Sezhiyan had served as chairman of the powerful Public Accounts Committee during 1971-1973 when he presented a record number of 96 reports to the Parliament.
During the Emergency, Jayaprakash Narayan had appointed Sezhiyan as the Convener of National Committee for Review of the Constitution and of People’s Union for Civil liberties. Though he retired from active politics in 2001, Sezhiyan continued to write articles in various newspapers and periodicals on topics like democracy, parliamentary procedures, transparency in governance and public affairs. He will be remembered for his stiff opposition to the scheme of MP/MlA local Area Development Fund which he feared would corrupt the system and democracy.
His books “Shah Commission Report, lost and Regained” and “Parliament for The People” were received with warmth by leaders of all parties and the general public.