It was reported by Satya Hindi news channel, and reiterated by a Congress spokesperson, that after the declaration of the West Bengal Assembly election results, CEC Gyanesh Kumar told a group of reporters: "Tiger abhi zinda hai!"

My faith in 'chief deletion commissioner' Mr Gyanesh Kumar (may his tribe decrease) has been fully restored and vindicated: he has lived up to the trust I reposed in him. I fully expected the Election Commission to win the elections in West Bengal, even though it is not a registered political party but only a kind of I-Pac for one of them. And it has won handsomely.

Mr Kumar can now look forward to greener pastures in the days to come — a governorship, perhaps, or even (as is being whispered in some shady corridors) a presidentship. The latter post will suit him admirably because a President can only act on the advice of the council of ministers, which is precisely what he has been doing for the last many years.

Which brings me to a larger point: why have elections at all, now that ONOE (One Nation One Election) has been converted to ONNE (One Nation No Elections)? After much deliberation and consultations with the divine forces à la Chandrachud, I have come to the conclusion that the country would be much better off without elections. There are both macro and micro reasons for my view.

At the macro level,........

© National Herald