Election Commissions credibility under cloud due to delayed bypolls, feel officials

“Usually the EC goes by its schedule to ensure that the Representation of the People Act 1951 is implemented and the vacancies are filled within the prescribed time to meet the Constitutional mandate, but now a record number of 19 seats are lying vacant,” rued a senior government official who has served with the Election Commission. These are issues related to Constitutional obligations and the seats cannot be vacant for more than six months.

The postponement of the RK Nagar bypolls and now the delay in declaring the schedule for Tiruparankundram should have been avoided by the EC. When there are polls conducted in other states as per the rulebook, Tamil Nadu examples dent the credentials of Election Commission, the official added. 

When the EC can notify the vacancies in other states what prevents the institution from conducting the bypolls here is a mystery, the official asked.  

“In my view both the Election Commission and the State Election Commission had failed in executing their Constitutional responsibility,” said retired IAS officer MG Devasahayam. 

Bypolls should not be delayed for any reason and the EC should remember that it is a Constitutional body. If there are no clear orders from the court, the EC should go ahead with its powers and ensure that the Constitution is in place. 

The bypolls are getting delayed in Tamil Nadu at a time when the ruling party’s majority is under the cloud. In the state, the EC should go ahead with the bypoll dates and if there is an order from the court, it can always oblige the court order. 

Similarly, the State Election Commission has ‘successfully’ delayed the conduct of civic polls for the past two years sighting court orders, he added. 

“Delaying Tiruvarur bypolls due to the red alert issued by weather office is another bad example. If the 18 MLAs want to go an appeal let them go and the EC can withdraw the poll dates, delaying the bypolls has put the ECI as an institution in a bad light,” the retired official said.