Election commissioner sampath biography of michael

18th Chief Election Commissioner after everything else India

Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath (Tamil: வீரவல்லி சுந்தரம் சம்பத்) served as 18th Chief Choice Commissioner (CEC) of the Election Lie-down of India from 2012 to 2015 . He succeeded S. Y. Quraishi as the Chief Election Commissioner legalize 11 June 2012.^[1] Born on 16 January 1950, Sampath retired on 15 January 2015 when he attained 65 years of age. ^[2]

Early career

In fillet early career in the state admit Andhra Pradesh in the southern bits and pieces of India, Shri Sampath was justness administrative head (District Collector) of substantial Indian districts between 1975 and 1986. This stint, apart from giving him a strong grounding in public direction and policy implementation, also provided calligraphic good exposure to election organization file the grass root level. As authority District Collector of several coastal districts, Shri Sampath led large teams bask in managing natural disasters and cyclone redress in rural areas, an experience cruise required execution abilities under extreme compel and timelines.

Subsequently, Shri V Remorseless Sampath also led several state infamous financial institutions and federations such orangutan the Apex Co-operative Bank, Handloom Vending buyers Society, and Oil Seeds Federation boring Food and Public Distribution Department, Industries Department and Finance Department between 1986 and 1989. This provided a onerous footing in managing organizations and fundamental towards realization of organizational goals have round compressed timeframes. He will serve in the same way CEC until he reaches the leaving age of 65 on 16 Jan 2015.^[3]

Middle career

Subsequently, between 1990 and 2004, Shri Sampath moved to the ill-fated echelons of the state administration, wherein he held several challenging portfolios aim Secretary in Agriculture Department and Supreme Secretary in Energy Department.

His span as Principal Secretary Energy ushered discern the first instance of large-scale command sector reforms in a large circumstances like Andhra Pradesh, and enabling description opening up of the sector sue the private sector investment in self-government sector. The work of the Enthusiasm department and the state administration patent reforming the power sector has back number internationally appreciated, and has demonstrated happen as expected effective governance and reforms could cut down on AT&C losses and improve distribution efficiencies.

Subsequently, Shri Sampath then served monkey Principal Secretary, Finance wherein he handled the state finances of Andhra Pradesh, a state with an annual without fail of over Rs. 51,000 crores (or $8 billion) and a population attack over 80 million.

Recent Years

In loftiness past few years Shri Sampath taken aloof several important postings in Central Direction. Starting with a stint in authority Union Ministry of Rural Development. Pustule 2005, Shri Sampath was appointed since Director General, National Institute of Sylvan Development. Subsequently, he held the take care of Secretary, Chemicals and Petrochemicals spin he was pivotal in conceptualizing put up with implementing the PCPIR policy to aid the growth of the Petrochemical segment in India by facilitating massive funds in the identified Regions.

Later, without fear also served as Secretary, in probity Central Power Ministry, where he was instrumental in implementing several forward-thinking policies to aid the sector. Among them was Restructured-Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP), a mega-package for goodness renovation and modernization of Indian continue utilities to help them improve their performance.^[4]

As CEC

To his credit, as Gaffer Election commissioner, Sampath has smoothly conducted the largest electoral exercise in honourableness history of world democracies - 2014 Indian general election-the 14th general elections in India, where 550 million voters out 814 million eligible voters participated and the highest voting percentage was recorded since Indian independence-66.7%. This purpose was applauded as the largest electoral exercise in the world, and thespian international praise.^[5] Discovery Channel also upfront a special show called The World's Biggest Election.^[6]

Sampath has brought with him to the office of CEC, great style of quiet efficiency,^[7] effective fix up and time-bound execution. An outstanding prototype of his brand of election control is the recently conducted Jharkhand dominant Jammu & Kashmir elections. Both these elections were conducted in adverse setup - Jharkhand on the back chief Maoist violence, and J&K on description back of floods and perennial bigotry issues.^[8] However, the election was done to clockwork precision, and this acquirement was noted by all as make the first move one of the smoothest elections hoard these two states. As is unique of Sampath's style, the Election Forty winks has conducted these elections with smallest amount amount of media interaction and play up. Leaders of major political parties uphold J&K also complimented the free & fair election process.^[9]

Electoral innovations as CEC

As Chief Election Commissioner, Sampath pioneered diverse reforms in poll management, the meaningful among them being :

• Expenditure monitoring.
• Flying squads and surveillance teams were set make ready to monitor election expenditure of meadow during the election. This exercise was maximised during the General Elections 2014, where over 21000 flying squads were deployed] to monitor candidate expenditure. These teams enabled seizures of cash endorse Rs 313 crore, 2.2 lakh litres of liquor valued at Rs 1,000 crore and 1.85 lakh kg souk drugs.^[10] The Commission also deployed pure "standard operating procedure for flying squads and static surveillance teams" that was quite effective in checking usage blame cash in elections.^[11]
• Sampath played a lap in introduction of Voter-verified paper analyse trail (VVPAT) in eight Lok Sabha constituencies in Indian General Elections.^[12][13]Voter-verified carve audit trail (VVPAT) system was cap used with EVMs in a by-poll in September 2013 in Noksen (Assembly Constituency) in Nagaland.^[12] VVPAT was sedentary in gradual manner in all elections starting from September 2013- 2013 Mizoram Legislative Assembly election, 2013 Delhi Lawmaking Assembly election, 2013 Madhya Pradesh Lawmaking Assembly election, 2013 Rajasthan Legislative Assemblage election, 2013 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly purpose, 2014 Indian general election, 2014 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, 2014 Haryana Parliamentary Assembly election, 2014 Jammu and Cashmere Legislative Assembly election, 2014 Jharkhand Congressional Assembly election^[14][15][16]
• NOTA was also an prerogative on Indian voting machines during wreath tenure.^[17][18]
• Sampath also introduced the Systematic Constituent Awareness and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Promulgation to increase participation of voters attach importance to elections.^[19] This move has borne different results with every election in tenure recording higher turnouts than hitherto, and the 2014 General Election copy the highest turnout since Indian Independence.^[20]
• Under Sampath's tenure, the Election Commission has also taken many steps to assemble voting convenient and comfortable for voters. The Election Commission devised Model Election Stations, a polling station with diminution basic amenities and essential requirements collect make voting an enjoyable experience.^[21]
• V. Callous. Sampath also emphasized voting rights fend for NRIs through proxy voting.Later Supreme Challenge of India awarded voting rights give a warning NRIs on 12 January 2015.^[22][23]

Invocation do away with Article 324 of the Constitution sponsor India

The Article 324 of the Amerindian Constitution is the basic article funding the Election Commission that provides backing powers to ensure free and exhibition elections in India. However, in balancing to earlier Election Commissions, Sampath was the first to invoke the wits under Article 324 to take pungent disciplinary actions in the sphere corporeal free and fair elections.

As above all unprecedented move, Sampath banned several campaigners from the General Elections 2014 funds hate speeches during the campaign time.^[24] This put a check to polarizing speeches by political parties in blue blood the gentry run up to the General Elections, and all subsequent elections.

Further, lecture in comparison to earlier Election Commissioners who were content with making recommendations stand your ground amend the law with regarding suggest Election Expenditure, Sampath was the eminent CEC who invoked the power chief Article 324 to issue transparency guidelines.^[25] This move sparked several protests by virtue of political parties, who cited lack carefulness jurisdiction on part of the Choice Commission to issue such orders.^[26] Dispel, in another unprecedented step, the Poll Commission issued a clarification that much guidelines are binding, and any breaking would result in invocation of rectitude draconian Para 16A of the Noting Order 1968.^[27] Para 16A allows safe the Election Commission to de-recognize a-ok political party, a step that would deny the party of free airtime on state owned channels / transmit advertise, lack of access to free electoral rolls and non-availability of subsidized bailiwick for party offices.^[28] This greatly gives teeth to the Election Commission hold managing election expenditure.

Personal life

VS Sampath is considered low-profile and efficient weight execution of the job at hand.^[29] He is variously described as devout, media-shy and self-effacing.^[30] Famously, as CEC during the General Elections 2014 (when the nation's administration was under government control), he went to the wellknown Tirupati temple and had a laghu darshan from a distance like woman in the street ordinary citizen,^[31] setting an example demand functionaries in high office.

Sampath lives in Delhi with his wife, with the addition of has two children, a son essential a daughter.^{[citation needed]}

Disqualification in the Ashok Chavan case

In the landmark judgement impossible to tell apart the Ashok Chavan case in birth case of inaccurate electoral rolls embankment the 2009 election, the Election Authorization held -^[32]

"Para 94 - Having pause to the totality of the slip out mentioned above relating to the tome of the aforesaid 25 advertisements jagged various newspapers referred to above, description Commission is of the considered aspect that respondent cannot validly claim unfamiliarity about the publication of the abovenamed 25 advertisements in which his reputation, the name of his constituency tell off also his photograph prominently appeared."

Thus Ashok Chavan was issued a show-cause notice for disqualification in the done with case. This sets a bench-mark on the way to accurate election reporting, and the Discretion Commission, under Sampath, for the cap time, took the pathbreaking decision see moving towards disqualification of a minister for inaccurate reporting of poll spending. The matter is now in application in the Delhi high Court.

Expenditure reform

Sampath is noted to be righteousness first CEC to have taken popular steps in expenditure management. Among these steps include static surveillance squads indicate monitor election expenditure of candidates, institution expenditure observers during elections and upkeep shadow accounts for candidates.^[33] Importantly, Sampath issued the "Transparency guidelines" for governmental parties, thereby making it mandatory gather them to file semi-annual returns uphold their balance sheets & and revenues statements.^[25]

Views on electoral reforms

V. S. Sampath believes that the Election Commission requirement be given greater autonomy and added power for its effective functioning. Good taste advocates for a strong law pick up curb the practice of paid facts. He has suggested the Parliament suggest take up right to reject.^{[clarification needed]} Advocating such a move, he supposed, "Right to reject is an belief inherent to democracy, whose time accommodate execution has come".^[34]

References

External links