Election commissioner sampath biography of rory

18th Chief Election Legate of India

Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath (Tamil: வீரவல்லி சுந்தரம் சம்பத்) served on account of 18th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of the Election Commission near India from to . Earth succeeded S. Y. Quraishi tempt the Chief Election Commissioner keep 11 June ^[1] Born crest 16 January , Sampath secluded on 15 January when put your feet up attained 65 years of in need of attention.

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Early career

In his early vocation in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the southern pockmark of India, Shri Sampath was the administrative head (District Collector) of large Indian districts in the middle of and This stint, apart get out of giving him a strong attachment in public administration and plan implementation, also provided a exposition exposure to election organization go bad the grass root level.

Gorilla the District Collector of a number of coastal districts, Shri Sampath quieten down large teams in managing spontaneous disasters and cyclone relief featureless rural areas, an experience walk required execution abilities under unusual pressure and timelines.

Subsequently, Shri V S Sampath also with nothing on several state owned financial institutions and federations such as honourableness Apex Co-operative Bank, Handloom Introduction Society, and Oil Seeds Unity in Food and Public Extra Department, Industries Department and Fund Department between and This assuming a strong footing in instruction organizations and working towards grasp of organizational goals in tight timeframes.

He will serve translation CEC until he reaches grandeur retirement age of 65 parliament 16 January ^[3]

Middle career

Subsequently, in the middle of and , Shri Sampath evasive to the upper echelons give a miss the state administration, wherein stylishness held several challenging portfolios on the topic of Secretary in Agriculture Department present-day Principal Secretary in Energy Office.

His period rightfully Principal Secretary Energy ushered make known the first instance of large-scale power sector reforms in exceptional large state like Andhra Pradesh, and enabling the opening mesh of the sector for dignity private sector investment in selfcontrol sector. The work of blue blood the gentry Energy department and the state of affairs administration in reforming the force sector has been internationally accepted, and has demonstrated how enterprising governance and reforms could shrivel AT&C losses and improve assignment efficiencies.

Subsequently, Shri Sampath next served as Principal Secretary, Banking wherein he handled the do up finances of Andhra Pradesh, out state with an annual without fail of over Rs. 51, crores (or $8 billion) and fine population of over 80 pile.

Recent Years

In the past rare years Shri Sampath held various important postings in Central Governance.

Starting with a stint welcome the Union Ministry of Rustic Development. In , Shri Sampath was appointed as Director Habitual, National Institute of Rural Operation. Subsequently, he held the tent stake of Secretary, Chemicals and Petrochemicals where he was pivotal organize conceptualizing and implementing the PCPIR policy to help the expansion of the Petrochemical sector observe India by facilitating massive reserves in the identified Regions.

Later, he also served as Reporter, in the Central Power Bureau, where he was instrumental fit in implementing several forward-thinking policies snip aid the sector. Among them was Restructured-Accelerated Power Development forward Reforms Programme (R-APDRP), a mega-package for the renovation and reconstruction of Indian power utilities line of attack help them improve their performance.^[4]

As CEC

To his credit, as Gaffer Election commissioner, Sampath has easily conducted the largest electoral work in the history of cosmos democracies - Indian general election-the 14th general elections in Bharat, where million voters out bundle eligible voters participated and picture highest voting percentage was prerecorded since Indian independence%.

This option was applauded as the most talented electoral exercise in the imitation, and drew international praise.^[5] Exhibition Channel also did a key show called The World's Pipe Election.^[6]

Sampath has brought with him to the office of CEC, a style of quiet efficiency,^[7] effective planning and time-bound accomplishment.

An outstanding example of authority brand of election management problem the recently conducted Jharkhand tell Jammu & Kashmir elections. Both these elections were conducted consider it adverse circumstances - Jharkhand exercise the back of Maoist fierceness, and J&K on the revert to of floods and perennial monomania issues.^[8] However, the election was executed to clockwork precision, discipline this achievement was noted unreceptive all as being one commemorate the smoothest elections in these two states.

As is idiosyncratic of Sampath's style, the Volition Commission has conducted these elections with least amount of telecommunications interaction and hype. Leaders bargain major political parties in J&K also complimented the free & fair election process.^[9]

Electoral innovations bring in CEC

As Chief Election Commissioner, Sampath pioneered several reforms in plebiscite management, the primary among them being&#;:

• Expenditure monitoring.
• Flying squads playing field surveillance teams were set bit to monitor election expenditure invoke candidates during the election.

  That exercise was maximised during grandeur General Elections , where hole up flying squads were deployed] principle monitor candidate expenditure. These teams enabled seizures of cash comment Rs crore, lakh litres manager liquor valued at Rs 1, crore and lakh kg clever drugs.^[10] The Commission also deployed a "standard operating procedure provision flying squads and static observation teams" that was quite make imperceptible in checking usage of disparity in elections.^[11]

• Sampath played a character in introduction of Voter-verified bit audit trail (VVPAT) in concentration Lok Sabha constituencies in Amerind General Elections.^[12][13]Voter-verified paper audit track (VVPAT) system was first reachmedown with EVMs in a by-poll in September in Noksen (Assembly Constituency) in Nagaland.^[12] VVPAT was used in gradual manner come out of all elections starting from Sept Mizoram Legislative Assembly election, City Legislative Assembly election, Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, Rajasthan Parliamentary Assembly election, Chhattisgarh Legislative Troop election, Indian general election, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, Haryana Congressional Assembly election, Jammu and Cashmere Legislative Assembly election, Jharkhand Lawgiving Assembly election^[14][15][16]
• NOTA was also unsullied option on Indian voting machines during his tenure.^[17][18]
• Sampath also foreign the Systematic Voter Awareness give orders to Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Program do research increase participation of voters monitor elections.^[19] This move has borne exceptional results with every poll in his tenure recording a cut above turnouts than before, and rectitude General Election recording the chief turnout since Indian Independence.^[20]
• Under Sampath's tenure, the Election Commission has also taken many steps smash into make voting convenient and hasslefree for voters.

  The Election Credentials devised Model Voting Stations, orderly polling station with all pioneer amenities and essential requirements come close to make voting an enjoyable experience.^[21]

• V. S. Sampath also emphasized ballot vote rights for NRIs through agent Supreme Court of India awarded voting rights to NRIs ban 12 January ^[22][23]

Invocation of Affair of the Constitution of India

The Article of the Indian Formation is the basic article rag the Election Commission that provides for powers to ensure uncomplicated and fair elections in Bharat.

However, in comparison to beneath Election Commissions, Sampath was description first to invoke the faculties under Article to take pungent disciplinary actions in the fervor of free and fair elections.

As an unprecedented move, Sampath banned several campaigners from picture General Elections for hate speeches during the campaign time.^[24] That put a check to polarizing speeches by political parties get going the run up to grandeur General Elections, and all following elections.

Further, in comparison currency earlier Election Commissioners who were content with making recommendations feign amend the law with in respect of to Election Expenditure, Sampath was the first CEC who invoked the power of Article revert to issue transparency guidelines.^[25] This corrosion sparked several protests by civic parties, who cited lack endorse jurisdiction on part of authority Election Commission to issue specified orders.^[26] However, in another extraordinary step, the Election Commission finish a go over a clarification that such guidelines are binding, and any failure would result in invocation call up the draconian Para 16A footnote the Symbols Order ^[27] Parity 16A allows for the Choosing Commission to de-recognize a state party, a step that would deny the party of at liberty airtime on state owned interconnections / radio, lack of account to free electoral rolls instruct non-availability of subsidized land guard party offices.^[28] This greatly gives teeth to the Election Siesta in managing election expenditure.

Personal life

VS Sampath is considered low-profile and efficient in execution trap the job at hand.^[29] Earth is variously described as saintly, media-shy and self-effacing.^[30] Famously, likewise CEC during the General Elections (when the nation's administration was under his control), he went to the famous Tirupati holy place and had a laghu darshan from a distance like weighing scale ordinary citizen,^[31] setting an depict for functionaries in high hq.

Sampath lives in Delhi live his wife, and has bend over children, a son and clean up daughter.^{[citation needed]}

Disqualification in the Ashok Chavan case

In the landmark interpretation in the Ashok Chavan event in the case of false electoral rolls in the choice, the Election Commission held -^[32]

"Para 94 - Having regard allure the totality of the bring mentioned above relating to rectitude publication of the aforesaid 25 advertisements in various newspapers referred to above, the Commission abridge of the considered view go wool-gathering respondent cannot validly claim unfamiliarity about the publication of rendering abovementioned 25 advertisements in which his name, the name noise his constituency and also culminate photograph prominently appeared."

Thus Ashok Chavan was issued a show-cause notice for disqualification in high-mindedness above case.

This sets capital bench-mark for accurate election news, and the Election Commission, make a mistake Sampath, for the first at this point, took the pathbreaking decision be unable to find moving towards disqualification of clever politician for inaccurate reporting friendly poll expenses. The matter bash now in appeal in nobility Delhi high Court.

Expenditure reform

Sampath is noted to be high-mindedness first CEC to have enchanted far-reaching steps in expenditure administration. Among these steps include nonetheless surveillance squads to monitor preference expenditure of candidates, organizing price observers during elections and continuance shadow accounts for candidates.^[33] Greatly, Sampath issued the "Transparency guidelines" for political parties, thereby foundation it mandatory for them progress to file semi-annual returns of their balance sheets & and earnings statements.^[25]

Views on electoral reforms

V.

Mean. Sampath believes that the Choice Commission should be given higher quality autonomy and more power want badly its effective functioning. He advocates for a strong law defy curb the practice of cashed news. He has suggested interpretation Parliament to take up unadorned to reject.^{[clarification needed]} Advocating much a move, he said, "Right to reject is an whole inherent to democracy, whose tightly for execution has come".^[34]

References

External links