By and large, Tamil Nadu's local bodies, broadly known as panchayati raj institutions (PRIs), have been giving a good account of themselves. It is one State which has been regular in holding elections to them. Their terms are due to expire in October, and the newly elected AIADMK Government will soon be setting in motion the necessary preparations for holding fresh elections.

The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of all elections to, the local bodies are vested in the State Election Commissioner (SEC), who, at the time of appointment, must be holding, or have held, a position not less than that of a Secretary to Government.

His term of office is ordinarily two years, but is extendable for a total period of six years. His status is on par with a Judge of the High Court, and he cannot be removed from office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of a High Court.

Thus, he is of sufficiently high rank and enjoys sufficient protection to enable him to function with the same degree of independence as the Election Commission of India (ECI). Unfortunately, though, the public perception of the role played by the SEC in Tamil Nadu has been one of a subordinate to the Government.

For instance, the elections to the Chennai Corporation held in 2006 were so riddled with rigging, booth-capturing and other malpractices and the public outcry on that score was so great that the DMK Government at the time was forced to beat a hasty retreat and reorder the elections.

The State High Court, while setting aside elections to 99 wards, passed severe strictures on the SEC, castigating him for being “highly irresponsible” and having “miserably failed in the discharge of his function”.

The AIADMK Government must now be in the process of selecting a successor to Syed Munir Hoda who has resigned as the SEC a few days ago.

In the interest of fair, free and clean elections to local bodies, following the shining example set by the ECI in the case of elections to the State Legislative Assembly, the person to be appointed must have impeccable credentials and command the trust and confidence of the public at large.

Model village

The name readily springing to my mind as satisfying all the essential criteria is the former Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Naresh Gupta, if he is willing to be considered. If not, it is best that the selection is made by a committee comprising the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, a serving Judge of the High Court and a nominee of the Chief Election Commissioner.

The coming elections to the local bodies are a golden opportunity for social activists and enlightened persons in public life, who are in their prime, to enter the local bodies in a big way so as to cleanse politics at the grass-roots and make them institutions of excellence. Both the number of voters and households and the geographical area to be covered being small, it may not also impose any physical or financial strain. In short, the perpetual critics of dirty politics should put their energy where their mouth is!

Here are two examples for them to emulate. R. Ilango, a chemical engineer, gave up his prized job as a research scientist in Central Electro Chemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, returned to his native village Kuthambakkam in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, got elected president for two terms of the panchayat and won international acclaim for making it a model village.

Ms Chhavi Rajawat, a young computer-savvy MBA, left the top slot in hospitality business in Jaipur, to become the president of the Soda panchayat in Rajasthan and recently dazzled a UN panel with the turnaround she had accomplished. A thousand or more such enterprising spirits leading as many PRIs all over India, and politics need no longer be the first refuge of scoundrels.

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