Institutions like Election Commission should be completely independent, big statement of Supreme Court Justice Nagarathna

News India Live, Digital Desk: Senior Supreme Court judge Justice B.V. regarding the future of Indian democracy and constitutional dignity. Nagarathna has made a very important comment. He has stressed that important institutions like the Election Commission of India (ECI) must function completely independently. According to Justice Nagarathna, if the institutions conducting elections are dependent on those contesting the elections, then it is natural to question the neutrality and impartiality of the entire process. This statement has come at a time when a new debate is going on in the country regarding institutional independence. ‘Independence’ is essential for the strength of the Constitution. Speaking in the ‘First Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture’ organized in Patna, Justice Nagarathna shared his views on the topic ‘Constitutional Rights and Structure’. He said that institutions like Election Commission, CAG and Finance Commission have been created with a specific purpose. These institutions should be kept separate and protected from normal political processes. He clarified that the function of the Election Commission is not only to conduct elections from time to time, but also to maintain the integrity of the political competition that results in the formation of power. In his address, Justice Nagarathna referred to the historic ‘TN Seshan’ case of the Supreme Court and said that the Court has already considered the Election Commission as a constitutional authority of high importance. “If structurally the election operators are subordinate to the contestants (leaders), then the fairness of the process cannot be ensured,” he said. Justice Nagarathna emphasized that to maintain the democratic governance system, it is essential for these institutions to remain free from any political influence. The country is run not on rights alone, but on ‘structure’. Justice Nagarathna said that often we only talk about civil rights, but we forget how important it is to have a strong constitutional structure to protect those rights. He said that the Election Commission and other constitutional bodies are the guardians of our democracy. If these watchdogs are not independent, the transition of power and political competition will no longer be transparent. His statement is being seen as a big guide towards future institutional reforms.