O J's Corner : Reflections

Hello, Election Commission!
Are you listening?

Palakkad municipal council is the worst example for panchayati raj. This arrogance of political parties, exposed by their refusal to take charge as the municipal chairman after election victory, is cruel and undemocratic. People, for sure, will not condone it.

The issue should be addressed by the Election Commission of India, before it flies out of control. A penal clause should be introduced in the relevant laws, if it is not already there, to make it obligatory for the victor to discharge the duties of the chairperson, unless a no-confidence motion is carried against the incumbent.

Justice V R Krishna Iyer and other intellectuals should not remain mute witnesses to the travesty of democracy being played out in a municipal council where the Congress, Communists and the BJP are somewhat on an equal footing. If the BJP is untouchable, why not a Congress-Communist coalition be thought of?  Afterall, democracy is nothing but a give-and-take system.

The prevalent state of affairs is tantamount to trivialising the democratic process and ignoring the people’s mandate.

During the last eight months elections were held four times for choosing a chairman for the 50-member municipal council where the UDF has now 18 members, LDF 15 members and the BJP 17 members.

The chairmanship is reserved for a member of the Scheduled Caste. The BJP does not have an SC member in the council.

The municipal elections were held in September 2005 and because of the fractured verdict the UDF and the LDF did not field their candidates in the chairman’s election held in October.

Meanwhile, the UDF did not participate in the elections to the vice-chairman’s post. The LDF invalidated its votes and, therefore, the BJP candidate romped home to victory.

Within a few days, elections to the chairman’s post was held in which the UDF and the LDF kept themselves away.

The issue was taken to the High Court at whose direction the elections were held  for the third time on November 19, when A.K.Chandrankutty of the LDF was declared elected. After the elections, he refused to don the mantle saying he did not want a post with the support of the UDF.
This drew the criticism of the High Court, which wanted elections to be held again, following which Wednesday’s exercise occurred.

Chandrankutty who was elected, refused to budge saying he did not want the support of the BJP.

Now, as per the directions of the High Court, the post can be either  reserved for women or treat it as not reserved at all.

Perhaps, the episode would find a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the winner not wanting to assume office.

Spoils of office, definitely, is not disgusting to any of them. Standing on ceremonies, the UDF, LDF and the BJP have divested the Scheduled Castes of a post that was reserved for them.

This incident should incite the Election Commission of India to seek ways to make similar exercises constitutionally unpardonable and criminally culpable.