- Differences between the top officials of the Election Commission have come to the fore following two incidents in which BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi was denied permission to hold a rally in Varanasi, and Congress’s Rahul Gandhi’s presence inside an EVM booth on poll date.
- The concept of more than one Commissioner came into practice during ex-PM Narasimha Rao’s tenure in which political class faced relentless onslaught at the hands of the then single EC Commissioner T. N. Seshan.
- Despite this, high profile spats ensued within the commission and its officers.
- The spat has also brought to the fore issues of censorship and freedom of speech that opposition endorses until it comes to power itself.
- Modi initially expressed disappointment at his interview being censored, but later justified the same. But this has left DD, the broadcaster in lurch over its future.
- A new govt results in an entire regime change with ministers having their own favourites, and those in post skeptical of the govt’s moves. Many also got their transfers effected before the election mode of conduct was applied, which prevents transfers for obvious reasons.
- Meanwhile, Rashtrapathi Bhavan is in full preparations over the results of the elections bystreamling security, setting up a makeshift enclosures and ensuring proper care of media persons.
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/ec-rift-in-full-media-glare-again/article5999898.ece
Exams Perspective:
- Model Code of Conduct (MCC)
- ECI
- Election Commissioners o India
- Procedure to appoint Election Commissoners