The Hindu Business Line : `Politicians will not set standards for them'

THE implementation of basic minimum qualifications and compulsory retirement age for politicians is rather impractical in this country, as it would require a separate law to be passed in Parliament.

And who are the people who vote in Parliament to pass this bill? It's, of course, the politicians themselves.

Hence this may not be possible, as you (students) don't make legislations sitting in the colleges, said former Chief Election Commissioner Mr. J.M. Lyngdoh, while replying to a volley of questions posed by engineering students at the inaugural function of VISTA 2K4 organised on the eve of 5th annual day celebrations of the Vignan Institute of Technology and Science (VITS).

Responding to a question on the electronic voting system, he said that the present system is working very satisfactorily and would be ideal if it is continued.

Referring to the Election Commission's decision not to make voter ID cards mandatory for the coming elections, he said that the Election Commission would have taken this decision owing to several reasons, which could include non-issuance of voter ID cards.

Mr Lyngdoh said the law demands that 100 per cent issuance of voter ID cards is required to implement the process. Citing Pondicherry's example, he said that in Pondicherry no one except 14 could get voter ID cards, even in such a situation it could not be made compulsory.

Speaking about the qualities in students to become good leaders, the former CEC said that they must first be good human beings who don't promise what they can't deliver unlike politicians who promise many things but don't deliver.

Replying to another interesting question on whether the bureaucrats are ruling or ruining the State, he said: "They used to rule once upon a time, now they are nearly confined as stenographers."

Mr Lyngdoh advocated a strong responsible bureaucracy for a dynamic society.

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`Politicians will not set standards for them'

Making a song and dance of it