Having to suffer a bungling idiotic Judiciary is bad enough, now we will have to bear the stupidity of another Constitutional Agency - The Election Commission.
Both these Organizations have usurped powers far beyond what is mandated, and are trying to intrude into our lives in every possible manner.
The Judiciary has become a laughing stock - mandating on how high the Dahi Handi tower be, or that we can burst crackers only for a couple of hours designated by the Lordships and even those crackers should not make sound or emit smoke, etc etc.
But they have no balls to give their judgement on an issue pending for 75 years - the Ram Janma Bhumi, which is, as per the Court a title dispute!!!
Now the Election Commission will start. They have already done so 'warning' parties not to use Abhinandans photos in any posters. It is for Abhinandan or the army to take up this issue if they want, as they are the affected party, and I have no idea why EC should take suo motto notice of this.
Despite all the powers assumed by EC, they have spectacularly failed in their attempt to stop Cash/kind for votes anywhere. In Tamil Nadu, all the parties set up booths in residential areas where Cash to the tune of Rs 2,000 to Rs 20,000 is offered in public, based on voter slips. One has to be blind not to see this. And apart from suspending elections for a few months, what has EC done to curb the menace? Zilch.
Mamta Bannerjee has gone out of the way to ban or obstruct BJP from holding rallies or political events in West Bengal. It will be interesting to see EC acting against her once poll dates are announced. My guess is that EC will chicken out and allow the tyrant lady to pursue her whimsical actions. Free and fair elections can go for a six.
It is public knowledge that P Chidambaram manipulated the recounting in 2009 and won the elections. The case against him has not seen the light of the day, though 10 years have passed. And he ruled with impunity and looted the country. EC has nothing to say about this.
Time and again we see Candidates abusing others openly, and EC just conducting a mock of an enquiry, and letting them off go with a warning not to repeat. And this in a country where Hardik Pandya is being investigated by an Ombudsman (whatever it is) for making an innocuous but inappropriate generic comment about the women he has dated in a TV Program.
Every election we see EC sponsored Videographers going around taking videos of the campaign. What do EC do with these videos? I have no idea, and no one else does.
EC takes cases against the candidate if they use Loudspeakers at 10.01 pm, as there is a diktat that they cannot be used after 10 pm. And what happens to these cases? Nothing.
It is time we dispensed away with the Model Code of Conduct. It is rubbish and unenforceable. All it does is to have the entire Government Machinery and political decision making to come to a stand still for 2-3 months.
Should Modi not allow Armed Forces to retaliate because there is a Model Code of Conduct? Opposition can always claim he will get an unfair advantage if there is another Surgical Strike.
And like SC, EC has become inefficient. With all the technology available, and all the forces available, why cant EC have a single day polling all over India? This would ensure disruptions to public life and governance are limited to 21 days maximum. One Week for filing nominations, and 15 days for campaigning is more than enough.
With EVMs, results should be announced the next day. We used to do it with paper ballots. But now, in some constituencies, votes are counted after 30-40 days. Why should people wait in agony, because of EC's inefficiency. Agreed that there would be requirements for repoll in some booths. But the % is so small, it will not affect the final outcome.
And no nanny behaviour please. Indian voters are highly mature. They know what is good for them. EC doesnt have to baby sit them.
Will the EC grow up ever?
Updated 11/3/2019 - Just read that Kerala Election Commissioner has issued a diktat that Sabarimala issue should not be talked about during the Lok Sabha election campaign (apparently it pertains to a Supreme Court Judgement and hence the ban)!!!. This is the most important topic in the elections in Kerala, especially the hooligan behaviour of the Communist Government in going out of the way to hurt Hindu sentiments. How dare the EC say this cannot be talked about? This ridiculous idea that no candidate should talk about religion, caste etc should be done away with. Everything needs to be discussed, and no molly coddling is required. Election is not a T 20 game to have fielding restrictions and bowling restrictions. It has to be, and is akin to Test Cricket. Grow up EC
Updated 11/3/2019 - Just read that Kerala Election Commissioner has issued a diktat that Sabarimala issue should not be talked about during the Lok Sabha election campaign (apparently it pertains to a Supreme Court Judgement and hence the ban)!!!. This is the most important topic in the elections in Kerala, especially the hooligan behaviour of the Communist Government in going out of the way to hurt Hindu sentiments. How dare the EC say this cannot be talked about? This ridiculous idea that no candidate should talk about religion, caste etc should be done away with. Everything needs to be discussed, and no molly coddling is required. Election is not a T 20 game to have fielding restrictions and bowling restrictions. It has to be, and is akin to Test Cricket. Grow up EC
