Today’s Hindu editorial talks about “POLL POSITION: ON SC ORDER ON LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS”. Learn and revise these new set of words and stay well prepared for the english section of the upcoming examinations.

RBI Grade B Phase 2 Mock Tests

Difficult Words & their Meanings

Difficult Word/PhraseContextual Meaning
elapsedIf time elapses, it goes past
amendedto change the words of a text, especially a law or a legal document
inadequatenot good enough
devolutionthe movement of power to a lower level
autonomythe ability to make your own decisions
delimitationdescribing the limit of something
beholdenfeeling you have a duty to someone who has done something for you
watchdogsomeone responsible for making certain that companies obey particular standards
countermandto change an order that has already been given, especially by giving a new order
infractionsbreaking of a rule or law

SSC CGL free mock test

Poll position: On SC order on local body elections

Supreme Court has boosted independence of SECs in holding local body elections

Even though more than a quarter century has elapsed since the Constitution was amended to make urban and rural local bodies a self-contained third tier of governance, it is often agreed by experts that there is inadequate devolution of powers to them. This may somewhat explain their relative lack of autonomy. However, an entirely different facet of the way these local bodies function is that the manner in which their representatives are elected is often beset by controversies. Local polls are often marred by violence, and charges of arbitrary delimitation and reservation of wards. A key factor in any local body polls being conducted in a free and fair manner is the extent to which the State Election Commissioner, the authority that supervises the elections, is independent and autonomous. Unfortunately, most regimes in the States appoint senior bureaucrats from among their favourites to this office. In practice, SECs frequently face charges of being partisan. Routine exercises such as delimiting wards, rotating the wards reserved for women and Scheduled Castes and fixing dates for the elections become mired in controversy as a result, as the Opposition tends to believe that the exercise is being done with the ruling party’s interest in mind. Even though this cannot be generalised in respect of all States and all those manning the position, it is undeniable that SECs do not seem to enjoy the confidence of political parties and the public to the same extent as the Election Commission of India as far as their independence is concerned.

SSC CGL free mock test

It is in this backdrop that the Supreme Court’s judgment declaring that a State Election Commissioner should be someone completely independent of the State government acquires salience. It has described the Goa government’s action in asking its Law Secretary to hold additional charge as SEC as a “mockery of the Constitutional mandate”. By invoking its extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Court has asked all SECs who are under the direct control of the respective State governments to step down from their posts. In practice, most States appoint retired bureaucrats as SECs. Whether the apex court’s decision would have a bearing on those who are no more serving State governments remains to be seen. However, it is clear that these governments will now have to find a way to appoint to the office only those who are truly independent and not beholden to it in any manner. The verdict will help secure the independence of SECs in the future. More significantly, the Court has boosted the power of the election watchdog by holding that it is open to the SECs to countermand any infractions of the law made by the State government in the course of preparing for local body polls. Regimes in the States would have to wake up to the reality that they cannot always control the local body polls as in the past.

SSC CGL free mock test

This is all from us regarding today’s Hindu editorial. Read The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary– March 15, 2021

Cheena Sawhney

Recent Posts

The Hindu Editorial Vocabulary 23th December 2024

Get the Hindu Editorial Vocabulary for 23rd December 2024 & discover the toughest words and…

2 hours ago

SBI PO 2024-25 Notification, Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus & Selection Process

SBI PO 2024 Notification is expected to be released in January. Know SBI PO Recruitment…

2 hours ago

SBI PO Cut Off 2024, Check Previous 5 Years Cut Off Marks

The SBI PO Cut Off 2024 will be released after the conduct of the SBI…

2 hours ago

SBI PO Syllabus 2024, Check Detailed Prelims & Mains Syllabus

In this blog, we have provided the SBI PO Syllabus 2024. Candidates must go through…

2 hours ago

SBI PO Selection Process 2024, Check Prelims, Mains & Interview Details

In this blog, we have provided the SBI PO Selection Process 2024. Candidates must check…

2 hours ago

SBI PO Previous Year Question Papers, Free PDFs & Solutions

This blog contains many free SBI PO Previous Year Question Papers for the candidate's convenience.…

3 hours ago