June 24, 2006	Saturday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 27, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, June 23: Former chief election commissioner (CEC) of India T N Seshan has said that no self-respecting country needs foreign observers to monitor election and decide about their fairness.

This was stated by the former Indian chief election commissioner while speaking live through a video link from Chennai at a seminar on: “What makes an election credible?”, organized by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) here on Friday.

Mr Seshan gave replies to various questions asked by the panelists and other guests, including parliamentarians, party office-bearers and representatives of civil society organizations. Information secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Ahsan Iqbal and information secretary of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Sherry Rehman were the panelists. Minister of State for Information Senator Tariq Azeem did not turn up in the seminar despite confirming his participation.

Mr Seshan, who was the 10th CEC of India, said that India would never allow any one to guide its people about democracy and election process. He said the Election Commission in India was very strong and independent. He said that they asked foreign observers to come and see elections but they did not ask them to tell them how to hold the elections. He explained that the Election Commission in India appointed experienced civil servants as election observers in each constituency and it took action on their recommendations.

The former Indian CEC said the Indian Election Commission took its own decisions and had never been influenced by the executive arm. He said the Election Commission in India was independent, strong and had the capacity to sustain pressures.

Mr Seshan, who served India as the chief election commissioner from 1990 to 1996, said that in all democratic countries laws were present to ensure free and fair elections. He said when he was the CEC of India, there were many flaws in the election laws and the electioneering and polling processes. He was of the view that the CEC should always be appointed after consultations with the prime minister, the chief justice, the opposition leader and finally the president.

Replying to a question, Mr Seshan said the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) could play an important role in creating awareness and educating the voters. He said the Election Commission had to play a role of a referee. He said the rules of games were set by legislatures and the constitution and not by the executive in India.

Mr Seshan said that it would be matter of pleasure for him if he was invited to come to Pakistan to see polls as a foreign observer in 2007.

Earlier, Andrew M Raucci, a US election law expert, in his presentation stressed the need for an independent election commission and an independent judicial system to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in a country. He said there should be the rule of law and the people should have complete confidence in the judiciary.

Sherry Rehman and Ahsan Iqbal inquired from Mr Raucci that how the elections could be declared free and fair when the leadership of two major political parties was not allowed to take part in the electoral process. Mr Raucci agreed that it was important to provide level playing field to all players to hold transparent elections.

Ahsan Iqbal was of the view that holding of free polls in Pakistan was a political issue, instead of technical.

The seminar was also attended by MMA Senator Prof Ibrahim, MQM MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus and PML MNA MP Bhandara.