Too much power

When T N Seshan took over as chief election commissioner, electoral malpractices were the norm

The Election Commission wants more teeth, the kind that will make dissenters think twice before daring to challenge it. It wants to be armed with contempt powers to punish those who tarnish its image and has sent this alarming proposal to the law ministry.
 
It is unfortunate that a robust body such as the Election Commission would have resorted to such a knee-jerk and poorly thought out response to accusations made by a clutch of political parties that lost ground in the recent elections.
 
Until this disquieting proposal, the Election Commission had fielded all accusations with the dignity