Master of The Polls

DEMOCRACY IN INDIA HAS LONG BEEN a lively -- often scandalous -- business. In years gone by, scores of people have died during federal and state elections where armed goons fought with knives and bombs over the chance to stuff ballot boxes for their party's choice. But for the past three years, those rough-and- tumble antics have been on the wane -- largely as a result of the will and drive of Tirunellai Narayanaiyer Seshan, 61, the country's ninth chief election commissioner, who is determined to bring law and order to the election process. Problem is, not all politicians like it; and over the past few months, to maintain his vaunted independence, the appointed commissioner has had to fight off the governing Congress Party itself.

Last week Congress beat an embarrassed retreat from its most audacious attempt yet to rein in Seshan's powers. In an unprecedented effort to tame a single official, Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao's government tried to amend the constitution to make two newly appointed commissioners as powerful as the electoral supercop. Unable to muster the required two-thirds support in the 245-member upper house, Congress withdrew the bill 24 hours before the vote. Said a triumphant Seshan: "Indian democracy has won."

As an autonomous constitutional authority with the status of a supreme court judge, Seshan has wide-ranging powers to disqualify candidates, correct voters' lists, postpone elections and even withhold results when he detects malfeasance. Unlike his eight predecessors in the job, Seshan has used that authority freely, even when it meant thwarting the national government. As a result, the former bureaucrat has become a hero to voters but an obstacle to back-room wheeler-dealers. And he is not getting out of their way soon. Appointed by former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, the commissioner's six-year term does not end until December 1996. National elections and balloting in 10 important states must be held before then. Seshan has said in advance that he will deny ruling parties unfair advantages they have always enjoyed, especially using government power, facilities and staff for improper partisan ends.

Trouble between the commissioner and the Congress Party first erupted a year ago when the government denied Seshan the authority to punish officials showing undue bias toward a political party and also to requisition paramilitary forces to keep thugs away from polling booths. Seshan retaliated by postponing by-elections in seven states, eventually forcing the government to relent. But even some opposition politicians were angry at his sweeping actions. "Seshan is well intentioned but arbitrary," contends Somnath Chatterjee, a Communist Party leader. "He has no business issuing fatwas."