The Rediff Interview/T S Krishnamurthy, former election commissioner

"...A change is necessary in India as I feel there is a threat to the unity and integrity of India. Unfortunately, the political parties are not taking the need for electoral reforms seriously..." "...Lok Sabha elections are round the corner." - T S Krishnamurthy was Chief Election Commissioner from February 2004 to May 2005:

Time to rise above politics

A note from 'me' - NIC meets after 3 years - where is the country heading?

"...The government’s decision to convene a meeting on October 13 of the National Integration Council (NIC) after more than three years is clearly aimed at allowing political bosses and leaders of civil society vent their feelings regarding the worsening communal situation in the country. "...Politics can be debated in Parliament and during elections. This, however, is an opportunity to save this nation from disintegrating. So it needs to be emphasised that challenges before the country are at various levels and each has to be understood in order to be resolved..."

INDIA – A POLITICOCRATIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT

An interesting and relevant blog -

"...If a person where to call the Indian Government a Democratic Government, he or she must be blind, deaf and dumb. In a true Democratic Government, the Politics should begin and end with elections and Democracy should stand thereafter. But in India, the Democracy begins and ends with the elections, as the elections are the only democratic process in India and thereafter only Politics stands. So I think it is better we call our Government a Politicocratic form of Government. Everything here is ruled by Politicians, their Political aspirations and political correctness. The politics, politicians and political consideration decides whether an Industry should be set up at a particular place or whether a region should be developed or not. The political consideration motivates our Government to try and pursue the Government of another country to safeguard the life and interest of residents of Indian origin in that country. Irrespective of the consideration I respect that intention. But the absence of the political consideration failed to produce the same intention when it came to the question of coming to the rescue of Indian citizens held captive by Somalian Pirates. But I am not at all blaming the politicians of our country for this state of affairs. It is we the self-centred, narrow-minded, short sighted citizens of this country who are responsible for all this."

CORRUPTION and BRIBES in INDIA

Excerpts from a website containing statistical details on CORRUPTION and BRIBES - for those who may be interested

An extremely professional and interesting Presentation

http://epaper.livemint.com/Articletext.aspx?article=24_09_2008_001_013&mode=1

“India is nearing the status of “rampant corruption” in its public affairs and electoral politics, according to Transparency International’s corruption perception index for this year. While any score below 3 in the 10-point scale is defined as rampant corruption, India is at 3.4, compared with 3.5 last year.”

(Towards promoting awareness)