Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Candidate voyeurism!

New election rules require political candidates todeclare their financial assets. The manner in whichthe media splashes these details on front pages leavesa feeling of distaste. Ogling at the private detailsof an individual financial worth, whether out ofcuriosity or otherwise, tends to whet one’s baservoyeuristic instincts. Discussions on someone’sfinancial status are usually kept out of the publicrealm, on account of social propriety (and nowadaysincreasingly due to security concerns).

(The latest media onslaught is on Ms. Supriya Sule's considerable wealth! Not that it makes any difference to her political fortunes)

The said revelations, while perhaps noble in their intention,ought to have been kept under strict confines of theEC records, divulged only to economic watchdogs like IT, IB, ED, etc for their investigations, if any.

Praywhat influence does the EC feel such data ought tohave on the voting public?

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