On the face of it, the brouhaha surrounding a "dissenting" Election Commissioner seems unrelated to the ongoing spectacle of Lok Sabha polls. It sounds too academic and esoteric for the poll-time rough and tumble. And yet, these two controversies are related and their impact could be deeper than is readily apparent. These manufactured rows could raise doubt over the sanctity of India's electoral process.

 

On the first charge, a lot has been written about how introduction of electronic voting machines (EVMs) has dramatically improved voter participation in electoral process, empowered the vulnerable sections (women, elderly, scheduled castes and tribes), and made for freer and fairer elections.