Central government has now appointed Sunil Arora as new Election Commissioner. Even though Election Commissioners appointed by political rulers at the Centre have so far exhibited unbiased attitude like in recent controversy in Rajya Sabha elections, yet to ensure avoiding controversies, much-needed and long-awaited reform of selection of Election Commissioners by a collegium also consisting of Prime Minister and largest opposition party in Lok Sabha should be there. Even a Public-Interest-Litigation (PIL) is pending at Supreme Court presently. Even the then Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi also publicly favoured such a system which already exists for selection of Information Commissioners and Vigilance Commissioners. It is indeed unfortunate that every reform concerning polls has to be there only after intervention of Supreme Court, which otherwise should be done by Central government at its own.
Eye-brows were raised in past by opposition-parties on selection of certain Election Commissioners being personal favourites of political rulers having appointed them. But irony of Indian political system is that instead of inducing reforms as demanded while their being in opposition, political rulers instead of making required reforms themselves repeat same wrong doings like has been in case of selection of Election Commissioners.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL
