Before that it needs to be remembered that it is the BJP and some of its allies that have been wailing like witches of Macbeth for long for reforms in the electoral system and process. Insofar as the Congress is concerned, it has never seriously demanded any reforms except for tinkering with the law when Indira Gandhi had to be saved from the ire of the Allahabad High Court. Regarding the Akali Dal (Badal) endorsing the directive, the credit has been circumstantially thrust on it because many of their mandarins are already under investigation of their financial status and would like similar financial accounting by their opponents.

It has been mentioned in the article that there are about 700 legislators, including 40 MPs who have criminal antecedents. On a very conservative estimate about the same number who lost the elections are waiting to stage a comeback after updating their modus operandi from the schools for scounderels. An equal number of fresh faces can be estimated to be flexing their muscles to jostle their way into electoral success to enjoy the privileged democratic freedom to err, blunder and plunder.

To the simple question as to how such anthrax manages to get elected, there is a simple answer that there are people who vote them to success through ignorance or lack of political maturity or allurements or intimidation or coercion. The politician-criminal nexus with pliant and corrupt bureaucrats and the underworld mafiosi as cheer leaders is able to convert narrow religious, casteist and sectarian toxins into hardcore groups which are delivered as fixed deposits into dubious vote banks. It was in the context of this deformity of the body politic that Justice Hidayatullah referred to the tendency of democracy to commit suicide.

As a corollary to electoral reforms applicable to the legislature, there should be a serious and meaningful debate about improving the quality of voting.

R.C. KHANNA, Amritsar

Hopes from judiciary: Kudos to journalists like Hari Jaisingh, who dare to stand with the truth. His brave action of raising his voice against the suppressive attitude of some judicial men has made the whole judiciary sit up and rethink. Well-timed remedial measures taken subsequently have let the cat out of the bag.

Dismayed by the polity of India, the people are looking to the judiciary for reforms. If the judiciary also gets bullied by the unprincipled polity and selfishness then where is the hope?

The rare show of unity by all political parties in joining the chorus against the decision of the apex court for electoral reforms only highlights their deep-rooted fear of being exposed for taking politics as a profession and patronising corruption and crime. Assets of any MLA or MP, if investigated, will surely come out as beyond their sources of income. We are a nation of self-centred, indifferent people. I think we need Hari Jaisingh in every town and village of India. He has the courage and will power to awaken the people from the deep slumber of indifference before the glorious ship of Indian democracy gets sunk.

DR KULDEEP SINGH, DR RAJENDER SHARMA, Hoshiarpur

Just & simple: Not even one leader of national status has come out openly in defence of the directions given by the apex court to the Election Commission. There is nothing wrong in disclosing the qualifications, criminal cases pending, if any, and the details of assets and liability by a candidate unless he wants to hide them, fearing disqualification. It is a matter of pain and sorrow that all political parties have ganged up against the directions which are just and simple.

MAJOR NARINDER SINGH JALLO (retd.), Kapurthala

Pseudo claim: The political leadership of the country has only exposed its pseudo claim to morality and principles by its unilateral and almost unanimous rejection of the apex court’s ruling and the Election Commissioner’s directive regarding the antecedents of candidates for making the elections and polity crime free. Every political party condemns the criminalisation of politics and sheds crocodile tears at the growing influence of money and muscle power in the corridors of political power. But no one has ever worked for an effective and comprehensive measure to root out the evil.