There was a time in India when, whatever the election results, the Election Commission of India (ECI) was the acknowledged winner of the battle and the chief protector of India’s democratic traditions. The ECI was initially tame, then it became a tiger under Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan and has since kept up its image as a fierce protector and an independent arbiter of the one ingredient that is critical for the democratic success of India – the process of elections. Come election time, and political parties would test boundaries, but the ECI would stand up, ensure that the violations were called out, and increase scrutiny and oversight so that the process was not only fair but also seen to be fair. That is now likely to be seen as the golden age that is no more a part of the Ind

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