Election Chief Shrugs Off Attacks by RJD, Congress
Patna: November 10, 2005
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) B. B. Tondon who visited Bihar on Wednesday for a record 8th time to review poll-preparedness in the state in view of the third phase of the state Assembly polls, said he was concerned about the growing propaganda against the Election Commission (EC) that has done a marvelous job in holding free and fair elections in Bihar so far.
"Such attacks are undermining the impartiality of the EC whose sole job is to hold free and fair elections in the states," Tondon said at a press conference before leaving for New Delhi on Wednesday night.
The CEC, however, made it clear that negative publicity and propaganda is not going to deter the EC from discharging its Constitutional duties. "We are here to achieve only one goal and that is to hold Assembly elections in the most free and fair manner. Once that goal is achieved, our job is complete and after that it's between the voters and the politicians," he said.
Tondon, who is widely seen as a hero in Bihar, called all allegations against the EC 'baseless lies'. "The EC's integrity is well-known not only in India but abroad as well and we intend to keep it that way," he said.
Responding to the RJD's allegation that the EC was systematically transferring officials belonging to Scheduled Castes and minorities to help the NDA win elections, Tondon said only those people had been kept for electoral process whose past record showed no sign of partiality and who were considered efficient.
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