YSR Congress Party chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that democracy could function only when people had complete confidence in constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission, and called for revisiting the process by which Election Commissioners are appointed amid the ongoing row over the poll body and special intensive revision (SIR).
National media reports that two Election Commissioners raised objections on several occasions to decisions, electoral rolls and the management of ECINet have led to serious questions and doubts among the public,” Reddy said on X on Friday. “Democracy can stand only when people have complete confidence in constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission. “Rather than an exchange of allegations, the public needs clarity on what objections were recorded, what action was taken on them, and how transparently the system functioned, be it for adding, deleting or restoring names on electoral rolls. “The Central government (Ruling Party) should come forward, set the normal in place dispelling this fear. An amendment to the bill be brought forward where the election commissioner is appointed by the three-member committee which has Leader of Opposition (LoP), Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Prime Minister as members once again. Student appointing the examiner is always prone to allegations even though the examiner is thoroughly honest, and it is always better replacing the process with someone neutral.
He said the public needed clarity rather than an exchange of allegations. Steps are needed to give people confidence on these matters,” he said, adding that public trust in the electoral process and every citizen’s right to vote without fear must be strengthened. Reddy said transparency in a democracy must not only exist but must also be seen to exist, and called for “revisiting” the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, a law he noted his party had supported when it was passed. This move would definitely regain the esteem and the confidence in the Election Commission,” he said. He said that transparency and accountability were the true measures of how an institution functions in a democracy. “Transparency and accountability are the true measures of how any institution functions in a democracy, and safeguarding them is that institution’s primary duty,” he said.
