3 ms·

That it has improved I will wholeheartedly agree. Much more is needed. I think one of the biggest contributions of EV has been to bring the costs of an election

by srean 10y ago

That it has improved I will wholeheartedly agree. Much more is needed. I think one of the biggest contributions of EV has been to bring the costs of an election down (modulo normalization for inflation, population etc.). I dont have as much a respect for the EC as you seem to have. My disdain is targeted less towards "EC the institution", more towards the lack of a functional vertebra of the chief ECs that we have had (barring exceptions of course) However, we are still far far away from the ideal that every election in the country are free and fair. ...and finally thanks all for the discussion we had here.

intended 10y ago
This is India man. The achievement of the EC is so phenomenal, that it's respect will endure. And the issues with the EC, from what I remember, were manufactured. Optics to deal with a strong EC. And I've been through the dacoit, booth capturing end of Indian history, it's genuinely an accomplishment, its nuts that it even worked (works) at the time it began to work. Edit: similarly with the SC. Both of these were institutions which were beyond reproach, and I pretty clearly remember the times they both got dragged into the political limelight. The issues were largely to deal with their growing power over the political class. And this is something which you'll see had support on all sides of the political aisle.
- srean 10y ago
  Funny that you and I keep discussing here when we are pretty sure everybody has left the building. An institution that I find absolutely remarkable is the Indian army (I am clubbing navy and air force in the same bucket). What I find striking and particularly especially so when compared to the defense forces of countries that were born under similar circumstances (no not just Pakistan) is that it has never exerted its political will. Sadly things are changing now with the army taking on clearly politically motivated stances. Govts are making politically charged appointments. The govt and the forces have started to play a tango and tat is not a good development.
  - intended 10y ago
    I know. And with the net/social media/whatsapp - stupid things which could once die down, now echo for much longer and start collecting momentum. Where they would once have just died down and been forgotten. Recent case in point is the national language row. Now thats breaking into a potential north/south identity divide. People are playing with fire, and damn the consequences.

by srean 10y ago

intended 10y ago

This is India man. The achievement of the EC is so phenomenal, that it's respect will endure. And the issues with the EC, from what I remember, were manufactured. Optics to deal with a strong EC. And I've been through the dacoit, booth capturing end of Indian history, it's genuinely an accomplishment, its nuts that it even worked (works) at the time it began to work. Edit: similarly with the SC. Both of these were institutions which were beyond reproach, and I pretty clearly remember the times they both got dragged into the political limelight. The issues were largely to deal with their growing power over the political class. And this is something which you'll see had support on all sides of the political aisle.

srean 10y ago
Funny that you and I keep discussing here when we are pretty sure everybody has left the building. An institution that I find absolutely remarkable is the Indian army (I am clubbing navy and air force in the same bucket). What I find striking and particularly especially so when compared to the defense forces of countries that were born under similar circumstances (no not just Pakistan) is that it has never exerted its political will. Sadly things are changing now with the army taking on clearly politically motivated stances. Govts are making politically charged appointments. The govt and the forces have started to play a tango and tat is not a good development.
- intended 10y ago
  I know. And with the net/social media/whatsapp - stupid things which could once die down, now echo for much longer and start collecting momentum. Where they would once have just died down and been forgotten. Recent case in point is the national language row. Now thats breaking into a potential north/south identity divide. People are playing with fire, and damn the consequences.