Chennai: Former Chief Election Commissioner  (CEC) Tirunellai Narayanaiyer Seshan or T.N. Seshan, who cracked the whip on money and muscle power in elections and proved to be a nemesis for political parties, died in Chennai around 9.15 pm yesterday. He was 87. His wife, Jayalakshmi, had died early last year.

Seshan did not suffer from any ailment in the final stages. His end came at his house on St. Mary’s Road in Alwarpet. His final rites are expected to be held this evening. Seshan brought back faith in the Indian electoral system at a time when Indian elections were synonymous with booth rigging and misuse of government machinery.

The no-nonsense Seshan, an IAS Officer of 1955 batch from Tamil Nadu cadre, managed to stamp his authority on the country’s electoral system during his term as the country’s 10th Chief Election Commissioner from 1990 to 1996.

 His strict commandments were: No bribing or intimidating voters, no distribution of liquor during the elections, no use of official machinery for campaigning, no appealing to voters’ caste or communal feelings, no use of religious places for campaigns and no use of loudspeakers without prior written permission.

He also enforced the Model Code of Conduct, strictly monitored limits on poll expenses, and cracked down on several malpractices. The issuance of Voter IDs for all eligible voters came into being under his strict watch. Appointed by Prime Minister Chandrashekar as the CEC  of India, Seshan would always be remembered as a shining example of what a CEC should be. 

He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1996 for “his resolute actions to bring order, fairness, and integrity to elections in India, the world’s largest democracy. In asserting the authority and independence of the Election Commission, Seshan locked horns with India’s Supreme Court and has feuded bitterly with the country’s politicians, leading to more than one attempt to impeach him.”

He later studied at Harvard University on Edward S. Mason Fellowship and obtained Master’s Degree in Public Administration.