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The steward of India’s first date with democracy
The Morning Standard
|May 22, 2024
ICS officer Sukumar Sen oversaw 1st election post Independence
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ICS officer Sukumar Sen, the then chief secretary of West Bengal, was chosen as the first election commissioner to administer and oversee the daunting task of conducting the first ever elections in independent India. Originally, the plan was to hold first elections in 1950.
However, it could not be executed for about two years in absence of adequate regulations, census, electoral roll and demarcation of constituencies.
Conquering all the challenges huge electoral size of 17.2 crore voters, lack of political training and complex terrain -the Election Commission of India (ECI) completed the necessary spadework under Sen's leadership. The stage was set as India was marching towards creating a golden chapter of history. But other countries were not convinced.
This story is from the May 22, 2024 edition of The Morning Standard.
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