Editorial Desk :
It is a big exposure that to government the rigged election is free and fair election.
How can a rigged election free and fair election?
The government’s argument is under the Constitution as amended by them is to be accepted as free and fair election.
So, whatever is the practice under the parliamentary democracy does not matter, the upcoming election will be held under the supervision of the sitting government in power.
The parliament will also remain undissolved.
Thus the members of parliament will also be active.
The government’s resolve to uphold the Constitution is far from clear.
Because the same Constitution has guaranteed the people’s fundamental rights like the freedom of speech, the freedom of press and the freedom of assembly.
Most importantly, the independence of the judiciary as the protector of the Constitution, has also been ensured.
We do not want to embarrass the Chief Justice in any way.
But he is the best person to know how independent the judiciary is.
Firstly, the Constitution is to be respected as a whole and not a part of it that concern the election process.
The democratic part of the Constitution dealing with guaranteed rights of the people must also be upheld.
But the government is so quiet about that part of the Constitution allowing protection of the rights to be enforced by the independent judiciary as if that part of the Constitution does not exist.
Unless the judiciary is independent, rights guaranteed by the Constitution lose their meaning and purpose.
By changing the election process through amending the Constitution the government cannot alter the definition of free and fair election accepted internationally and the parliamentary system itself.
We know it is no use discussing the finer points of the Constitution or the law when the prime minister not only defends the election rigging mechanism of her own creation, she boastfully asserts that in no case her government will give up power.
We see no justification for the existence of the Election Commission.
The Election Commission sees there exists condition for announcing the election schedule.
When the election rigging under the supervision of the prime minister is to be accepted as free and fair election, there is no justification for the Election Commission to play any meaningful role for ensuring free and fair election.
There cannot be two systems of parliamentary elections — one under the supervision of the government and another under the supervision of the Election Commission. Especially when the Election Commission says nothing about the foolproof election rigging mechanism of the government.
It will be futile to spend crores of public money on the functioning of the Election Commission.
The two systems of holding the election are so contradictory that there no way of reconciliation.
It is in the context of the prime minister’s determination not to give up power.
Such claim makes the election, rigged or not rigged a futile exercise.
