|
Khurshid reprimand needed to uphold EC's
dignity: Quraishi
Thursday March 08, 2012 05:55:36 PM,
Firoz Bakht Ahmed, IANS
|
|
|
|
|
New Delhi:
With the assembly polls successfully completed to five states,
including the all-important Uttar Pradesh, Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC) S.Y. Quraishi has defended the reprimanding of
Law Minister Salman Khurshid for his Muslim quota remarks, saying
it was required to uphold the dignity of the poll panel.
"The reprimand had to be there to protect the dignity of the
election commission," Quraishi told IANS in an interview here.
"Salman is a good friend. But, when we are holding offices as
such, our first loyalty is to our work. As law minister, Salman is
the custodian of law, but went around talking about reservation,"
the CEC said.
Khurshid was reprimanded by the EC after he talked of nine percent
job quota for Muslims during campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh
state assembly elections, results for which were out Tuesday.
Asked if the EC had powers to debar politicians and ministers like
Salman Khurshid, Beni Prasad Verma and Sriprakash Jaiswal from
participating in poll campaign if they violated election laws
instead of just warning them, Quraishi said EC commanded such
moral power that "a warning will have a lifelong impact" on such
leaders and they would not dare repeat their mistakes again.
Jaiswal had, during the campaign, stated that the Centre would
have no other option but to impose President's rule in Uttar
Pradesh if there was a hung assembly.
"Well, Varun Gandhi (BJP Pilibhit MP) who was reprimanded for his
communal speech and has not done it again," he added.
To another question on accountability of elected representatives,
Quraishi said it would be interesting to check midterm what the
voters thought of their member of parliament or legislative
assembly by holding an assessment poll, say two years after the
general elections.
"If their performance is found unsatisfactory or not within set
parameters, their seat should go to the candidate who came second
in the general election. This way, there won't be any corruption,"
he said.
"Of course, it would be interesting to assess the accountability
report card of the elected candidate after say two years," he
added.
Asked for his opinion on exit polls, Quraishi said for him it
sounded like a "comical term" and exit polls should make an exit
in no time.
"Of course, as entertainment, these make a good pastime. The EC
had banned exit polls till March 3, when the final round of voting
took place. However, I have a feeling that in the interest of
democratic paradigm, such calculations must not be allowed, no
matter how on target these might be," he added.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
 Parkash
Singh Badal set to be Punjab chief minister again
Setting
aside speculation over the leadership issue, the Shiromani Akali
Dal Thursday unanimously elected Parkash Singh Badal to be the
party's legislature party leader. Badal will be sworn in next week
as Punjab chief minister for a record fifth term.
»
Akali Dal-BJP create history in Punjab
|
|
|
|
Most Read |
|
 Congress
should understand regional aspirations, say experts
Following its dismal performance in Uttar Pradesh,
the Congress needs to urgently work out its strategy for the
»
Kashmir abuzz with fallout of Congress debacle
|
|
Jat agitators torch police station, Army
called
District authorities in Hisar district in Haryana called in the
army Wednesday as Jat community agitators set a police station on
fire and ransacked and damaged a bank and its ATM in escalated
violence »
Jats block Haryana roads, rail tracks
demanding reservation |
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
Gujarat: Lawyer and Human Rights Activist severely beaten by Police
Young lawyer and Human Rights
activist Bilal Kagzi, along with his clients, were severely beaten
up in village Kosamba, Surat District of Gujarat. He was beaten up
allegedly by police » |
|
In house
of memories, meet the nowhere women
Bordered
by barbed wires and huge iron gates, a dilapidated amphitheatre in
old Delhi's Kabir Basti is home to over 30 mentally ill women who
have found
»
Kazakh Man to
give wife million roses on Women's Day |
|
 Heal Muslim and West divide, urges former Obama advisor
A
former member of American President, Barack Obama’s advisory
council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, has
»
|
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Union
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Pawan
Kumar Bansal inspecting the damaged gate number 16 at the
Farakka Barrage, Murshidabad district, West Bengal on March
03, 2012. State Minister of Irrigation & Waterways, Micro &
Small Scale Enterprises & Textiles, Government of West Bengal
Dr. Manas Ranjan Bhunia and State Minister of Development &
Planning and Power, Government of West Bengal Manish Gupta are
also seen. |
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links