Page 64 - Leap of Faith inside pages with cover (1)

Leap of Faith Journey of Indian Elections

Members of the Turkish Press Delegation having a discussion with CEC Sukumar Sen on February 9, 1952

The success of the First General Elec ons (1951-52) put India's reputa on as a democra c na on received further
India on the terra firma of democracy. Numerous interna onal endorsement. Lok Sabha Speaker G.V.
inquiries were received from countries in the Middle East, Mavalankar was elected as the Chairman of the General
Africa and South America for detailed informa on on the Council of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Associa on
elec ons. Sukumar Sen, the Chief Elec on Commissioner, in January, 1956 at Jamaica. It was the first me that an
was nominated to chair an Interna onal Commission to Asian member had been elected to the Chair of General
hold elec ons in Sudan, a former Bri sh colony. He spent Council of the Associa on (though Mavalankar's terminal
14 months abroad organising the elec ons, modifying illness prevented him from travelling).
par ally the Indian laws and procedures on the subject, to
suit the need of that Afro-Arabic na on. The elec ons in “The Elec on Commission”, says Sukumar Sen, “has to
Sudan based on universal adult suffrage were a success func on in accordance with the provisions of the
notwithstanding its literacy rate of mere two percent. In Cons tu on and of the statute law rela ng to elec ons.
1954, when the Government of India ins tuted its civilian In ma ers not covered by these, it has unfe ered
awards, Sukumar Sen was given Padma Bhushan for his discre on to take its own decisions and issue all necessary
contribu on to civil services. direc ons”. The Report of the First General Elec ons in

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