The Political fraud committed by the Goa Government in needlessly postponing the Panchayat elections has been exposed by the High Court. As holding elections on time is the very essence of democracy, the High Court has so very rightly directed this power intoxicated Government to hold these elections within 45days. The cavalier manner that this government is functioning with political mischief galore is reprehensible. The devious and crafty way in which the Panchayat Polls were postponed was a well orchestrated stage managed drama.
The silence of Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai over issues that concern the public is deafening, as he is duty bound to reprimand the government on wrong decisions taken and not wait for the High Court to have to intervene in every folly of the government.
The very Independence and autonomy of the State Election Commission (SEC) is flagrantly being breached in absolute misuse of power and authority. The SEC should not be succumbing to any political pressures or maneuvers whatsoever as holding free and fair elections is sacrosanct.
Constitutional order and values must always prevail as Constitutional morality thrives when misuse of executive power is restrained. Guided by the principle of limited government we need to protect and safeguard our Constitution by ensuring that the executive does not do whatever it wants, bypassing the constitutional mandate.
Abraham Lincoln had said “The ballot is stronger than the bullet”. And so should it truly be. Those entrusted with the task of conducting elections must bear in mind those words of the Former Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano “Organizing free and fair elections is more important than the result itself”.
