Manmohan Singh’s Unseen Defense of the Election Commission

The tension ignited when then Union Law and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid faced accusations of violating the model code of conduct by promising minority reservation quotas. The Election Commission swiftly censured the minister, triggering a wave of defiance among senior Congress figures. Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi recalled that the situation threatened to spiral into a broader constitutional crisis.

In a private meeting, Singh made his stance unequivocal, signaling that he would not tolerate attempts to diminish the Commission’s authority. Quraishi, speaking with media advisor Harish Khare, noted that the Prime Minister treated the perceived disrespect to the body as a grave matter. By prioritizing institutional independence over partisan loyalty, Singh sought to insulate democratic processes from the immediate pressures of the campaign trail.