Experience of hindsight reveals that the Election Commission of this country has never been powerful and independent to the extent it should have been either in the past or present. Election rules are flouted with rare abandon by the political parties and they never get punished under the law. The EC has been notorious in looking the other way when its rules are violated. It is true that there is a need to provide more muscle to the EC in many areas through legislation but, unfortunately, parliament is reluctant to make it stronger for obvious reasons as most of parliamentarians consider them superior to other organs of the state. They consider it as infra-dig if the EC calls them on the carpet, whenever, they violate election rules They have now to change this mindset in the larger interest of the nation. No body is superior to the constitution of the country which has laid down the parameters of rights and duties enjoyed by various state institutions.
One frequently comes across news about the candidates contesting polls spending more money on their election campaign than they are allowed under the election rules but the EC cannot or does not punish them for reasons best known to it. If they don’t declare their private assets within stipulated time the EC metes out kid-glove treatment to them. The EC has never bothered to double check the authenticity of the details which they furnish to it about the extent of their private assets. One doesn’t know whether it is any political expediency or lack of necessary legislation that has been witholding it to take action but, whatever, the case may be it will have to pull its weight, otherwise, no body is going to take it seriously. True democracy can strike roots in the country only if the EC is made independent and powerful in the strict sense of the word.
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