Sir — This refers to the article, “Meaningless declaration for now” (May 21) by Nripendra Misra.
The Election Commission is an autonomous body entrusted with the task to superintend, control and ensure free and fair elections. It is a body which is supposed to be insulated from executive meddling, but unfortunately, Governments in the past have interfered with the EC’s functioning and tried to frustrate reforms mooted by the Commission, going so far as to even challenge in court the invocation of Representation of People Act, 1951, in a bid to delay the implementation of the much-needed electoral reforms.
Unless the EC is given sufficient trained manpower with a clear mandate and punitive power to implement its decisions, any kind of electoral reform will remain elusive. To bring in complete transparency and fairness and provide confidence to the electorate, the EC must be totally insulated so that it may exercise its powers without interference from either the Executive or the legislature.
The EC is also required to ensure that the means adopted for contesting polls are fair and this is possible only when it scrutinises the statements submitted by the candidates with a fine tooth- comb and takes action on wrongful submission or non-submission. Unless these stringent measures are taken by the EC, we may not find persons of integrity occupying the high seats of our legislature and governance.