Quraishi asserted that India has, is and will always stand up and fight for its constitutional institutions and principles.
Pitroda was reported to have said that he does not understand the threat India faces from China, claiming that it is often blown out of proportion.
Coming down hard on the Election Commission for its response on 'vote theft' allegations, former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi on Sunday said the poll body should have ordered a probe into Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's charges instead of 'shouting' at him in a language that was 'objectionable and offensive'.
'There was no financing or even promise of finance involved in MoU, forget X or Y amount'
Bidhuri, the BJP MP from South Delhi, had faced strong criticism over his "derogatory" comments against Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali in the Lok Sabha.
'In the Uttar Pradesh election last time, there were four presiding officers who had a heart attack on the day of the poll. It is a high pressure job and we must compliment our bureaucracy,' says former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi who headed the Election Commission in the 2009 general election.
Taking strong exception to Law Minister Salman Khurshid's recent comments, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has complained to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying the minister had tried to undermine the authority of the Election Commission with his public utterances.
The three-member Election Commission met on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi and discussed the letter from Y S Vijayalakshmi, YSR Congress honorary president, seeking a direction from the Commission for her son's release.
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Thursday called for a "complete check" on the menace of paid news during polls and emphasised on keeping a track on the expenditure record of candidates.
The Prime Minister's Office has sought clarity on a Rs 57-crore project of Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi to establish an India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management at Dwarka in New Delhi as the Cabinet note did not contain comments from various union ministries.
"You love democracy and hate politicians, this is not possible" -- quipped Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Tuesday as he heaped praised on the country's political leaders, noting that because of their policies India is marching towards becoming a super power.
Former chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi on Wednesday suggested an annual compulsory audit of funds and donations received by political parties. "We want that all political funding should be transparent and checked. There should be annual compulsory audits by an independent auditor to be picked up from a panel suggested by the Election Commission," Quraishi said.
Talking tough, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Wednesday said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati should think before criticising the EC order to cover her statues and Bahujan Samaj Party's poll symbols in government parks.
Dozens of statues of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and numerous that of elephants (which also happens to be ruling Bahujan Samaj Party's election symbol) in and around parks and memorials built by her in Lucknow and Noida were being hurriedly veiled from Monday morning by officials in pursuance of the Election Commission's order.
Government has floated a proposal to bar from elections candidates facing charge sheet for heinous offences one year before elections.
Team Anna's demand for incorporating Right to Reject a candidate in Parliament and assembly elections is an "interesting possibility", feels Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi.
Former President APJ Abdul Kalam is likely to be the Election Commission of India's brand ambassador in a bid to increase voter turnout in the coming assembly polls in Bihar. Official sources in the state election commission told rediff.com that they has recommended Kalam as brand ambassador.
Lauding the Election Commission for its 'bold' decision of scrapping the Rajya Sabha poll in Jharkhand, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha has asked it to get a thorough probe conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation or any other agency into the events since the start of election process.
"The Commission is satisfied that the current election process for Rajya Sabha election from Jharkhand has been seriously vitiated and cannot be permitted to proceed," the 3-member EC headed by Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi said in a 12-page order.
Amid reports that some Samajwadi Party supporters clashed with mediapersons in Jhansi of Uttar Pradesh and were held hostage in a room by the mob collected there, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Tuesday said the journalists were "absolutely safe".
The government may come into confrontation with the Election Commission over its attempt to curb the latter's immense authority to almost take over all administration powers through the Model Code of Conduct during the elections.
The Election Commission on Tuesday said it has not yet taken a decision on the letter of Law Minister Salman Khurshid regretting his controversial remarks on the minorities sub-quota issue.
The Election Commission on Saturday announced the dates for the Assembly elections to be held next year in five states -- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
The Election Commission has virtually disfavoured Team Anna's electoral reform proposals saying its demand for 'Right to Recall' will bring instability while 'Right to Reject' will lead to more frequent elections.
As he demits office on Sunday, happy and contended, outgoing Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi hopes that paid news, which of late has emerged as a big threat to free and fair elections, will be made a cognisable offence.
Against the backdrop of the recent controversy between the Election Commission and the Law ministry over the latter claiming control over it, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Monday made it clear that this cannot happen as EC is a Constitutionally independent body.
Elections to the 40-member Legislative Assembly in Goa would be held today, where 10.25 lakh voters will decide the fate of 215 candidates, including nine women and 74 independents in the fray.
In the backdrop of several political parties launching their own television channels for publicity during elections, the Election Commission is working on guidelines for the electronic media to ensure a level playing field.
The Election Commission on Wednesday put a lid on the standoff with Law and Minorities Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid after he expressed regrets over his "defiance" of the poll body over his remarks on subquota for minorities in government jobs in Uttar Pradesh.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Monday night sought to cap the stand-off with the Election Commission over his Muslim sub-quota remarks by writing a letter to the poll body in which he is understood to have said that he has all the respect for the constitutional authority.
A controversy broke out on Monday over the transfer of a poll observer, an IAS officer, who allegedly ordered the stopping of a motorcycle rally of Congress campaigner and Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra on the charge of violating the model code of conduct.
Complimenting West Bengal government for being extremely cooperative, chief election commissioner S Y Quraishi on Wednesday said all suggestions and instructions of the commission were being readily complied with in the poll-bound state.
The Election Commission on Friday ruled out postponing the April 13 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu as demanded by major political parties, including the Opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, saying every issue was factored in before announcing the poll schedule.
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Wednesday said that the debate on Lokpal Bill does not have any link with the Election Process as the model code of conduct does not apply to Parliament.
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Monday rejected social activist Anna Hazare's demand for right to recall or reject saying the move would endanger political stability in the country.
Did Team Anna member and Right to Information activist Arvind Kejriwal commit a criminal office when he appealed to Hisar voters not to vote for the Congress in the by-polls?
The campaign by Team Anna in Hisar Lok Sabha bypoll may have raised hackles of Congress, but the Election Commission on Tuesday said it did not violate any election law and the panel saw no reason for intervention.
Terming as "impractical" Anna Hazare's suggestion for the right to recall an elected Member of Parliament, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Wednesday said such a move will "destabilise" the entire system. "Right to recall in a big country like ours is impractical. It is not easy in a country where candidates are voted by lakhs of voters," he told reporters. He feared that if the right to recall is put in place, "elections will go on happening".
Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi on Saturday demitted office at the end of his six-year tenure.
There was no move to advance elections to the assembly in Kerala which would be held in the mid-May next year, Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi said on Tuesday.
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