DNA Edit | Beyond fault lines: The EC has conducted itself admirably in RS elections

If there was one institution that conducted itself admirably amid the fracas between the Congress and the BJP over a Rajya Sabha seat, it was the Election Commission. It stood tall, rising above inter-party squabbles to ensure that justice prevails. Tempers were high, egos were at stake, and the pressure brought to bear upon the EC was intense.

Yet, the election monitor didn’t buckle; instead, it chose to exercise its constitutional jurisdiction to prevail over the Returning Officer by invalidating the two votes cast by Congress MLAs — an unprecedented and brave gesture to end the impasse. This is a measure of the autonomy that institutions, especially the EC, enjoy in a vibrant democracy like India. The country should be justly proud of that as it can show the world that despite a hiccup or two, democracy is alive and kicking, sometimes even kicking up a storm to offer a dazzling spectacle — like on Tuesday night.

A section of the Twitteratti, which had raised questions about the impartial nature of the EC earlier in the day, should have publicly apologised at the end of Tuesday. Yes, there can be criticism and the BJP is within its right to challenge in court Ahmed Patel’s RS win, but to attribute motives to a hallowed institution in a public sphere can be deemed slander. Since 1950 when the first Election Commissioner assumed office, the watchdog of democracy has been unfailingly vigilant. It deserves unstinted praise for that.