The manner in which a law ministry official ‘summoned’ the entire bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for a meeting with an official of the Prime Minister’s Office on November 16 has led to angry reactions from the Opposition parties. They claim that the government has compromised the ECI’s autonomy and eroded its impartiality.
Many would, however, argue that India’s democratic institutions only skeletally resemble what they are meant to be, and the ECI is no exception. The ‘upset’ election commissioners, including the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), may have saved face by absenting themselves from the formal meeting. However,
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