ECI to establish a visiting chair in memory of TN Seshan

The Election Commission has decided to establish a visiting chair on the inter-disciplinary approach to electoral studies to commemorate former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) TN Seshan's "special connect with the young and aspiring India".

An official release said that the visiting chair will be established at the Centre for Curriculum Development at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) here from 2020-25.

It will be mentored by former CEC N Gopalaswami.

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora made the announcement while delivering the keynote address at the Institute of Law, NIRMA University, Ahmedabad.

He was at the university for a law conclave organised in memory of constitutional expert Nani Palkhiwala.

Speaking on the occasion, Arora said that Seshan's contribution to the cause of probity, transparency and integrity in various aspects of the electoral process in India has made his name synonymous with electoral best practices worldwide.

The chair programme will be targeted at young academics with a proven track record in fields related to electoral studies.

In his lecture on 'Electoral law - Its evolution and practice in India,' the Chief Election Commissioner said the Constitution has spelt a vocabulary of rights, entitlements, duties as well as the trinity of equality, freedom and dignity, which make life meaningful.

He said the commission was committed to bringing more reforms to ensure that the electoral process becomes more in sync with the times, current technologies and enhanced voter participation.

He said roots of democracy run deep in our consciousness so does an inherent sense of what constitutes right and wrong.

"I can say with conviction that the voter of this country is no longer naive, passive recipient in the play of political democracy," he said.

"Despite the fact that voting is not compulsory, more than 67 per cent people come out to vote especially the women, senior citizens and persons with disability. The strength lies in 'We the People'. It is the collective power of the people that is invoked through the Constitution," added Arora.