Urgent need to focus on protection of democracy: Ex-CEC TS Krishnamurthy in new book
On the chapters such as governance of the political parties and funding elections, Murthy shed light on “nexus between the corporate and the political parties” which he wrote “must be stopped”
Former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) TS Krishnamurthy, in his book “Beyond the Ballot”, said that there have been multiple interventions by various international agencies to affect the electoral output.
In the chapter on foreign intervention, the book details these developments as “recent phenomenon within vulnerable democracies” where interventions by foreign governments or agencies influence electoral results globally. In the book, he calls it a “serious threat”.
Krishnamurthy was the Chief Election Commisioner (CEC) between February 2004 to May 2005, and his book deals with multiple issues grappling the electoral politics in the world including India, and has suggested recommendations including on rule of law, governance of the political parties, foreign interventions, election management bodies, simultaneous elections, hatred and violence in elections.
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“Unlike usual forms of foreign interventions, such as through military force or economic coercion, these interventions achieve political outcome in the targeted country through misinformation or disinformation by affecting voting pattern, voter registration and election campaigns…surprisingly, researchers and commentators have paid scant attention to this subject including the need and nature of countering such foreign interventions. There is an urgent need to focus on this in the interest of national security, public safety and protection of democracy itself”, the chapter on foreign interventions read.
He added that there were no such perceptible interventions during his tenure as CEC.
“There were no such perceptible interventions in those years (2004-05); these developments have taken place recently. There might have been certain subtle influences that I have no idea about”, he told HT.
On the chapters such as governance of the political parties and funding elections, Murthy shed light on “nexus between the corporate and the political parties” which he wrote “must be stopped”.
“In my opinion, like the listed companies, the political parties should also disclose their funding every quarter or at least within six months”, he added.