New Delhi, February 6
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Mr J.M. Lyngdoh, will lay down office tomorrow after a tumultuous tenure during which he won international acclaim for successfully holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir and ire of the politicians for terming them “cancer”.
His colleague of more than three years, Mr T.S. Krishna Murthy takes over as CEC on Sunday. Mr Murthy’s vacancy will be filled by the induction of Home Secretary N. Gopalaswami. The new CEC will remain in office till May, 2005.
Mr James Michael Lyngdoh earned international praise for successfully holding free and fair Assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir. The elections in the strife-torn state won him Magsaysay Award.
In the post-Godhra riots period, his refusal to hold Assembly poll in Gujarat despite persistant demand by the state Chief Minister Narendra Modi evoked sharp criticism from the BJP.
The IAS officer from Meghalaya, however, got into trouble with the political world when he described politicians as “cancer” which has no cure.
Tomorrow after demitting office at the end of three and half years as CEC, he has plans to drive down to Hyderabad in a Toyota Qualis with his wife and three dogs.
