The State Election Commission’s decision to postpone the civic body elections in Andhra Pradesh, mired in widespread violence allegedly by the ruling party against the opposition, followed by the sharp criticism bordering on personal attacks against the election commissioner by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his colleagues once again raises questions over the autonomy of the election commission.
The SEC deferred the civic body elections by six weeks in view of the corona virus scare, but Jagan and his colleagues were quick to react in attributing caste motives to the chair of the election commission. Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar was appointed as State Election Commissioner during the TDP regime when N Chandrababu Naidu was the chief minister, both belong to the same social community. Therefore, Speaker Tamineni Sitaram at a press conference said this was not corona virus, rather Kammona (read Kamma) virus.
The CM lodged his protest with Governor Bishwa Bhushan and alleged that Ramesh Kumar was favouring a particular community and political party. On his party, Ramesh Kumar had a 45 minute detailed discussions with the governor explaining the factors that led to the postponement of elections, the primary being corona and violence in AP.
Elections were deferred without consulting the state government, accused Jagan. This, according to the opposition, seems to have hurt the enormous fragile ego of the chief minister. On his part, Ramesh Kumar noted that polls were deferred after consultations with the central government and health functionaries. The YSRCP moved the Supreme Court challenging the SEC move to postpone elections which upheld the decision of the election commission.
The chief minister, at a press conference, stated that corona virus was not a big threat and prescribed paracetamol. TDP president Chandrababu Naidu slammed Jagan for taking the virus too casual and accused the chief minister of having an inflated ego. Instead of lamenting SEC’s decision, the YSRCP government should examine its own role in undermining democracy, Naidu gave his piece of mind.
Soon enough, the 2020 civic body election has come under the scanner of the Modi government and the Supreme Court in the wake of incidents involving a breach of the Model Code of Conduct allegedly by the ruling party. Four BJP MPs met Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleging widespread violence, attacks by YSR Congress cadres on Opposition party candidates to prevent them from filing nominations instances, instances of breach of the Model Code of Conduct by the ruling party. Ramesh Kumar had written a letter to the Union Home Secretary requesting the Centre to provide him central police force security cover, saying he apprehends threat to his life and that of his family members. The SEC ordered the transfer of district collectors and SPs in places that saw violence.
It is too early to say what these elections might portend but they are already fuelling anxieties among the political parties and the electorate about the future of Andhra Pradesh. The elections exposed the friction between the state government and the SEC, a constitutional body.
The government in power should not make attempts to weaken the autonomy of institutions like the election commission as per its whims and fancies in order to obtain political gains. There is no harm in fighting for power, but it should only be done through democratic process without hurting the morale of institutions such as the election commission. Any attempt to weaken the EC results in the electorate losing faith in the very fundamental structure of the democratic system. These institutions are the pillars which keep the soul of the democracy alive, their independence give a sense hope to the citizens, that their interest will not be compromised for the sake of anyone’s political ambition.
In order to reinstate the faith in these institutions, urgent reforms are the need of the hour. The EC must be made more independent in its functioning and its autonomy should not be compromised for the sake of any individual or political party at any point of time. For instance, the appointment or the removal of top officials governing institutions like the EC should be done judiciously and with utmost transparency. Their appointment or removal should include only the prominent persons and should also have the representation of every democratic body; such as the government and the opposition as well. The ruling dispensations across the country should know that they cannot ride roughshod over institutions like the EC and the heads of the states should not harbor ‘my way or highway’ mindset. Brazen and brash attitude will never be liked by the electorate who will wait for their chance when it comes during the election time.