Former Election Commissioner TN Seshan Passed away Silently

Former Chief Election Commissioner Tirunellai Narayana Seshan popularly known as TN Seshan, has become an icon of Indian bureaucracy and democracy for introducing tectonic reforms in the country’s electoral process during his tenure in the ’90s, died of a cardiac arrest on Sunday in Chennai. He was 86 years old.

A retired Indian Administrative Service officer of 1955 batch of the Tamil Nadu cadre, TN Seshan had led the Election Commission of India from 1990 to 1996. As the 10th Chief Election Commissioner of India, he is known for his strong decisions, which reminded the poll body’s far-reaching constitutional powers, that gave the institution power to keep politicians in check.

He was seen as much of a hurdle by the political class and therefore during his tenure, two additional Election Commissioners were appointed by the centre to tighten his wings. He was the one who introduced the present day Photo Identity Voter ID Card for each voter. 

He was later bestowed with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, which is considered the Nobel Prize of Asia, for his initiatives to make the electoral process more transparent.

TN Seshan was born in 1932 in Kerala’s Palakkad district. He joined the civil services in the year 1955 and served as secretary of several departments in the state of Tamil Nadu and at the centre during his decade-long career.

At his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the prominent figures on the Twitter to mourn the demise of TN Seshan.

Prime Minister wrote, “Shri TN Seshan was an outstanding civil servant. He served India with utmost diligence and integrity. His efforts towards electoral reforms have made our democracy stronger and more participative. Pained by his demise. Om Shanti”.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee wrote on her tweeter handle, “Saddened to know about the demise of T.N. Seshan, a stalwart for free and fair elections. His legendary contribution to democracy will be always remembered. My condolences to his family and many admirers”.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described TN Seshan as an important pillar of Indian democracy. He tweeted, “Sad that former Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan has passed away in Chennai. He was my father’s classmate at Victoria College, Palakkad. A courageous and crusty boss who asserted the Election Commission’s autonomy and authority as no CEC before him had done. A pillar of our democracy”.

He was handpicked by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to be the Cabinet Secretary, the senior-most position for any civil servant and then he was appointed to serve the country as the Chief Election Commissioner. After his retirement in the year 1997, he had unsuccessfully contested the Presidential election against KR Narayanan.