Retributions  

Navin Chawla’s conduct violates constitutional propriety

If a story in the Indian Express is to be believed, election commissioner Navin Chawla was trying to help the Congress party in the Karnataka elections,

With the first phase of elections in Karnataka less than a week away, it now emerges that there was a deep divide in the Election Commission over the poll dates. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami has put on record that his colleague and Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, by asking for deferring the polls, was pitching for dates that “some of the political parties have been asking for.”[link]

Under the constitutional scheme, the Election Commission enjoys wide ranging power to ensure its independence. Elections are the bulwark of democracy and if democratic order has to thrive, the sanctity of elections and neutrality of its guardians is essential. The nation recently witnessed the sorry spectacle of a retired chief election commission accepting a cabinet position from the UPA government. Navin Chawla seems to have taken this to the next level. Prima facie, he is functioning as the spokesperson for a particular political party within the election commission. He is setting a dangerous precedent; future governments may be temped to pack constitutional bodies like EC and Comptroller & Auditor General of India with its men.

It would be a sad day for Indian democracy if EC loses the trust it has gained over the last decade due to less than creditable conduct by commissioners like Chawla.