It is a sad reflection on the state of affairs when the Election Commission of India is given to act like a police station — obliged to take cognisance of anyone filing a complaint, no matter how frivolous. Its recent notice to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi over her acceptance of a civilian honour by a foreign country is a case in point. Acting on a complaint that prima facie seems both mischievous and trivial, the chief election commissioner has clearly erred in issuing a wholly avoidable notice to Gandhi, and worse, brought this into the media glare.

In its inexplicable wisdom, the commission has held that Gandhi has owed allegiance to the constitution of Belgium by accepting the ‘Order of Leopold’ by its government. No heed is given to the fact that she is not the first Indian citizen of eminence to be honoured by a foreign government. What is equally ignored is the fact that India too bestows its civilian honours upon statesmen and eminent citizens of other countries — the bestowing of the Bharat Ratna upon Nelson Mandela is a case in point.

Our lower courts are already overburdened with mostly frivolous public interest litigations by rogue or out-of-work lawyers with the sole objective of generating cheap but instant fame. The EC should refrain from turning into yet another playground for these publicity-hungry litigants.

Fueling debate

A minor increase in petrol and diesel prices may mean only some replenishment to the dwindling coffers of our three major oil companies, but it has attracted widespread political agitation. International oil prices continue to increase. Due to the ever-mounting losses, the situation had reached a point where the three major oil companies were about to be refused new oil supplies on credit. This revelation was made by the heads of these companies in a recent meeting of the parliamentary standing committee. If this threat were to turn into a reality, the resultant oil scarcity will have dire consequences for consumers and the economy.

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