TN Seshan A legand In True means

Tirunellai Narayana Iyer Seshan was born on December 15, 1932 in Thirunellai, Palakkad district of Kerala, I can't eschew from expressing my proudness for the fact that 'Palakkad' is my birth place as well. Also it is great feeling to acknowledge that Myself and TN Seshan studied in the same school ie. BEM High school. He was a 10th student during the year 1947 and I was the student for 10th from the same school in the year of 1985.

He was the first Election Commissioner of Independent India who refused to remain a puppet of politicians and India thankfully witnessed his ruthless pro India reforms in Electoral related issues and he enforced the model code of conduct much to the chagrin of political parties.

His tough stand and the strictness with which he implemented rules are still remembered with great honour and pride, TN Seshan fearlessly took on both inert officials and slack political parties to ensure fair and free elections in the country during his power packed six-year stint between 1990 and 1996 as the chief election commissioner of India. 

Till he took over, political parties ferrying people to the polling stations were considered quite "normal," and it was during Seshan's stint that it became impossible with the model code being made sacrosanct.

Also, he ensured that bogus voting was averted to maximum possible extent through all possible remedial measures. Such reforms were unheard of till he took over as the 10th chief election commissioner in 1990.

In his zealous mission to cleanse the electoral system, he earned the wrath of  almost all politicians from all political parties including late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa who had hit out at him for being "arrogant.". It was a known fact that the reform of entire electoral system and  the manner and the intention with which he carried out the implementation as annoyed all political parties though some of them eschewed from expressing them openly. 

He had won kudos and laurels as well including the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1996 for exemplary work in public, government service. The citation had said, "In electing T N Seshan to receive the 1996 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, the board of trustees recognises his resolute actions to bring order, fairness, and integrity to elections in India, the world's largest democracy."

Among other aspects, it recalled Seshan dispatching Central Police Forces to suppress local goons and prevent theft of ballot boxes.

"He took stern measures to prevent vote buying. He banned ostentatious campaign displays and noisy rallies and required candidates to clean up walls and buildings defaced with their slogans. It was during his tenure spending limits was decided and contestants were required to submit full accounts of their expenses for scrutiny by independent government inspectors. 

He exposed politicians who made illicit use of public resources for electioneering and prohibited election-eve bonanzas for government workers. He banned the sale of liquor and seized unlicensed firearms at election time. He prohibited election propaganda based on religion."

Seshan was largely confined to his home due to age-related health issues for the past couple of years, his dream to write about his journey, the people he knew and eventful years in service of the people was left unfulfilled. 

In accordance with his wishes, a trust was formed last August for propagation of spirituality, the "Narayaneeyam," a spiritual and devotional compilation and the Vedas. 

A 1955-batch IAS officer, though he had held various key posts in the government including that of defence secretary and the coveted position of Cabinet secretary, he became a household name in the country only after he took over as the chief election commissioner.

A no-nonsense attitude was his hallmark, and he ensured checks and balances at all levels to see that the entire election process right from scrutiny of nominations to conduct of polls were carried out according to the rule book.

From deploying election observers for fair play to fixing election schedules in a staggered fashion to help station security forces and rule out then-infamous "booth capturing," especially in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Seshan led a slew of initiatives some of which invited the wrath of parties.

He was bold enough to cancel elections in Punjab in 1991 to see that the poll process was not vitiated by violence.

In 1993, probably in order to contain Mr Seshan and dilute his powers, the then government made the EC a three-member body and appointed two more commissioners and it was then perceived as an attempt to rein in the unpredictable Seshan.

Known for his tough and straight talk, he once said he will tend the "garden in his house," following retirement and not look for any assignments from the government.

However, his post-retirement years also churned out busy times for him. He unsuccessfully contested against K R Narayanan in the 1997 presidential elections. In 1999 Lok Sabha elections, he fought against BJP stalwart L K Advani from Gandhinagar constituency in Gujarat but lost.

It is important to remember that apart from implementation of Voter ID as a mandatory instrument for every voter to exercise his voting rights thus eliminating the possibilities of malpractices to almost nil, the implementation of voting machine sealed the possibility to impossible. We must remember that this unimaginable huge giagiantic task of providing voter ID was a huge achievement as it was introduced when internet was heard and seen only in English movies then.

Further concluding this piece of article with an empathetic view that during recent Central government election that took place in 'west bengal', many a patriotic Indians must have remembered him with a great sense of "missing him" feeling. It is 100% fact that if he was the EC, the west Bengal would not have witnessed the type of atrocities and hooliginisms that country witnessed painfully. But we know that everything good or bad are not for ever. He did his role in a great manner leaving a vaccum behind others to inspire and follow.

Yes, Mr Seshan, you will remain alive in the hearts of every patriotic nationalistic Indians for ever. 

Sudesh DJV 

Indore MP India

11th Nov 2019 

9:40 am

Below is one of the personal experience of TN Sheshan briefed by him on an occasion. 

There is an experience that TN Sheshan narrated in a Management Seminar.

Once, When he was Chief Election Commissioner, he was traveling to Uttar Pradesh with his wife for a picnic. On the way, they saw a large mango plantation filled with many sparrow nests hanging on the trees. 

On seeing this his wife expressed a desire to have two sparrow nests for adorning the walls their house. 

The policemen who were accompanying them immediately called a small boy who was grazing cattle there and told him to fetch two sparrow nests from the trees. Mr. Seshan offered to give Rs.10 to the boy for the job. The boy refused to do. Mr. Seshan then offered to pay Rs.50/-. But the boy didn't budge. 

The police then threatened the boy and told him that Mr.Seshan was a high ranking officer and will have to face serious consequences. 

The boy then walked upto Mrs & Mr. Seshan and said, "Sahab, I cannot do this. Those nests contain the eggs and small kids of the Sparrows. If I give you two nests, the mother sparrow who has gone out will come in the evening with the food for its children and will be sad on not finding the nests. I can't bear to see this"

The Seshans were stunned to hear this.

Seshan said, "My Position, Power and IAS degree just got melted away in front of the words spoken by that small, Illiterate cattle grazing boy."

Mr.Sesahan continued, "After foregoing the desire for the nests and returning home, I was haunted by a deep feeling of guilt caused by that incident.... *Education & expensive clothes are never the scales to measure humanity.Wisdom means Understanding nature. Infact,By collecting lots of information and acquiring knowledge we are understanding nothing.*

*It is wisdom, compassion and love for nature and fellow beings which makes one's life happy.*

Sudesh DJV writes on contemporary subjects in the form of Articles and poems which is in the interest of the Nation in particular and for the Mankind in general.