Safeguarding the Soul of Indian Democracy: In Conversation with T S Krishna Murthy

Key Takeaways (AI Overview Summary):

• Former Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy defends standalone Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), warning that returning to paper ballots would be disastrous for Indian democracy.
• Proposes structural electoral reforms, including replacing the First-Past-The-Post system with a 33.3% minimum vote threshold and enacting a Comprehensive Political Parties Act.
• Advocates establishing specialised election courts presided over by Supreme Court judges to resolve election petitions within six to twelve months.

Interview by Priyadharshni Rahul (Editor-in-Chief, PreSense)
Published in PreSense Edition 233 (July 2026)

Introduction

Shri T S Krishna Murthy, Former Chief Election Commissioner of India

In this edition of Visionary Titans for PreSense, Editor-in-Chief Priyadharshni Rahul engages in a candid, stirring conversation with Shri T S Krishna Murthy, former Chief Election Commissioner of India. A former Indian Revenue Service officer who rose to the highest echelons of public administration, Shri Krishna Murthy etched his name in history by conducting the 2004 Lok Sabha elections entirely with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) across all 543 constituencies and introducing NOTA to empower the Indian voter.

In this interview, he reflects on his uncompromising administrative integrity, defends the technological credibility of EVMs, outlines urgent electoral reforms—including replacing the First-Past-The-Post system—and shares timeless principles for the nation's youth.

Priyadharshni Rahul: Good day, Sir. It is an honour to have you on PreSense for our Visionary Titans series. You joined the civil services in 1963, rising from the Indian Revenue Service to Secretary to the Government of India, and ultimately Chief Election Commissioner. How has this extraordinary journey been for you?

T S Krishna Murthy: Thank you very much for inviting me. In a nutshell, my journey began in 1961 when I was barely 19 and a half years old; I joined the Bank of India as a probationary officer. My intense desire, however, was to enter the civil services. I appeared for the exam in 1962 and joined the Indian Revenue Service. Initially, it felt like a disappointment not making it to the IAS, but thanks to my mother's motivation, I recovered quickly. Looking back across more than four decades in governance, I enjoyed every posting and have absolutely no regrets.

The civil service is perhaps the only career in which an officer is empowered with the right to be independent, to stand up for truth and integrity, and to differ with authority when necessary. Over the years, I worked with some exceptional superiors as well as some demanding political bosses, but the journey was extraordinarily fulfilling.

Priyadharshni Rahul: You are widely admired for your fearlessness and grit in standing up to political pressure. In today's bureaucrat-politician dynamic, officers are often expected to be 'yes-masters'. How did you cultivate the strength to say 'no' to Ministers when ethics demanded it?

T S Krishna Murthy: Although I had many confrontations with politicians, later in my career as Secretary of the Department of Company Affairs, I faced a very difficult political boss and felt so frustrated that I contemplated quitting the civil service altogether. At that crucial juncture, a senior retired IAS officer, Mr M. Ramakrishnayya, visited my office. Seeing my distress, he imparted a lesson that sounded like a modern Bhagavad Gita to me. He told me, "As a civil servant, you have no right to quit. You have a duty to fight for truth and integrity. Never give up; fight for what is right." That gave me immense moral clarity.

On one occasion, a Minister rang me up late at night demanding to know why I had not executed his verbal directive. I replied that I had submitted the official file with a detailed three-page note explaining why his directive was unviable and unethical. I added in my note: "If despite the above, the Minister desires this to be done, he may issue suitable written instructions, which will of course be implemented." The Minister asked how he could overrule such an extensive objection on record. I told him, "That is your decision. If you feel it is right, give the order in writing, and I shall obey." The file was returned the next morning unsigned, and the matter ended there. If an officer maintains absolute honesty, nobody can force them to compromise.

Priyadharshni Rahul: Sir, 2004 was a historic watershed moment when India conducted the general elections across all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). What inspired that monumental decision, and how did you overcome the administrative and logistical hurdles?

T S Krishna Murthy: First, let me clarify that introducing EVMs was a collective triumph of the Election Commission and our engineers at Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL). While limited trials had been conducted by my distinguished predecessors in select State Assembly constituencies, taking the bold leap to deploy EVMs nationally across nearly 800,000 polling stations in 2004 was a mammoth undertaking.

To convince rural voters and build public trust, we devised creative outreach initiatives. We sent EVMs to remote villages on bullock carts. At village gatherings, we played popular film music to gather crowds, and then let citizens physically touch, press the buttons, and operate the machines themselves. Once people experienced the simplicity of pressing a button, their apprehensions evaporated. Before rolling them out, I also consulted a committee headed by former IIT Director Mr Indiresan. They had tasked 50 electronic engineers to try and hack or break the machine's internal logic, and not a single flaw could be found. That gave us supreme confidence.

Priyadharshni Rahul: Despite their proven success over two decades, losing political parties frequently accuse EVMs of being tampered with and demand a return to paper ballots. How do you address these doubts?

T S Krishna Murthy: Returning to paper ballots would be the single worst mistake Indian democracy could make. We must not forget the dark days of paper ballots—endless invalid votes, booth capturing, ballot box stuffing by musclemen, and days of anxious waiting for counting results. EVMs eliminated invalid votes in entirety, saved thousands of tonnes of paper, and brought absolute efficiency and speed to counting.

When senior leaders challenged the EVM before the Supreme Court, the apex court asked them to demonstrate how the EC's Standalone EVMs could give a wrong result. They failed to prove any flaw. Ironically, those very leaders went on to win subsequent elections conducted on EVMs and became Chief Ministers! The Indian EVM is a standalone, battery-operated calculator-like device; it has no internet connectivity or wireless capability to be hacked. Doubting the machine when you lose and praising the system when you win is pure political rhetoric. By all means, refine technology with tools like VVPAT, but do not abandon progress.

Shri T S Krishna Murthy (first from left), Chief Election Commissioner, presenting the results of the 14th General Elections (2004) conducted entirely with EVMs to President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Election Commissioners N. Gopalaswami (second from left) and B. B. Tandon (fourth from left) look on.

Priyadharshni Rahul: You have been an outspoken advocate for structural electoral reforms. Why is there such a systemic delay in implementing reforms that are essential for robust democracy?

T S Krishna Murthy: Political parties are comfortable with the status quo because it allows short-term electoral manipulations. The most critical reform needed today is reviewing our First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) voting system. Under FPTP, candidates often win elections by securing barely 25% or 30% of the polled votes in a fragmented contest. Can we truly claim that a representative speaks for the majority of their constituency when 70% of the electorate voted against him?

I have consistently proposed a percentage threshold rule. To be declared elected, a candidate must secure a minimum threshold—starting with at least 33.3% (one-third) of the valid votes polled, gradually moving towards 50% plus one vote. This single reform would force political parties to transcend narrow caste, religious, or regional vote-banks and seek broader consensus among the electorate.

Priyadharshni Rahul: India currently has over 2,000 registered political parties, yet only around 60 actively contest elections. How should we address this issue?

T S Krishna Murthy: Political parties in India are multiplying like mice in a barn! Hundreds of parties are registered not for legitimate political participation, but as tax-haven fronts, money-laundering tools, or lobbying centres to extract leverage.

We have comprehensive statutes governing public companies, partnerships, trusts, and societies, yet India has no specific legislation regulating political parties. We urgently need a dedicated Comprehensive Political Parties Act that legally defines a political party, mandates internal organisational democracy, enforces strict auditing of party finances, and deregisters any party that fails to contest elections over a prolonged period.

Priyadharshni Rahul: Another major bottleneck is the years-long delay in settling election petitions in courts. What solution do you propose?

T S Krishna Murthy: Election disputes currently pending before High Courts take three to five years to resolve—sometimes outlasting the full term of the legislature! This renders the legal remedy meaningless.

We should adopt a model similar to Brazil, where the Election Commission itself functions as a specialised court presided over by a sitting Supreme Court judge, for adjudicating all election petitions within a strict timeline of six months to one year. Fast-tracking election dispute resolution is vital to restoring public faith in the electoral verdict.

Priyadharshni Rahul: In your distinguished tenure, you interacted closely with five Prime Ministers. Could you share your personal impressions of them?

T S Krishna Murthy: I had the privilege of working during the Prime Ministerships of Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, Shri H. D. Deve Gowda, Shri I. K. Gujral, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Dr Manmohan Singh. I had personal interactions with them, and each possessed distinct leadership qualities.

I held immense admiration for P. V. Narasimha Rao. In one of the Cabinet meetings, when a Minister engaged in prolonged rhetoric without substance, Shri Narasimha Rao would firmly interject, "I am not interested in words; I want action!" He was an exceptionally decisive administrator.

I also cherish my encounter with Atal Bihari Vajpayee. When I assumed office as Election Commissioner, I called on him and asked if he had any message for me. Shri Vajpayee gave me a memorable response: "Governments and political parties will come and go, but the Election Commission must remain steadfast to safeguard and protect Indian democracy."

Working with Dr Manmohan Singh during his tenure as Finance Minister was an equally enriching experience. He was an administrator of gentle humility and profound intellect who treated officers with deep affection. Unfortunately, he could not blossom as a Prime Minister because of very many challenges he faced.

Priyadharshni Rahul: Finally, Sir, as closing remarks for PreSense readers and the younger generation who aspire to serve India, what five fundamental principles should never be compromised?

T S Krishna Murthy: I offer five core values for the youth of our nation:

1. Uncompromising Respect for the Rule of Law: Democracy collapses the moment individuals or institutions consider themselves above the law. The rule of law must remain supreme.
2. Earn Money Through Hard Work: Never seek shortcuts for wealth. True wealth and lasting satisfaction come only through honest efforts and integrity.
3. Empathy in Public Service: Whether you become a civil servant, a professional, or a political leader, always evaluate your actions from the perspective of the common citizen. Ask yourself: "How many lives will positively benefit from this decision?"
4. Punctuality and Respect for Time: Time lost is national progress lost. Delays in decision-making and project execution have cost our country dearly. Respect time rigorously.
5. Living by the Thirukkural: Practice the immortal wisdom of Saint Thiruvalluvar, who identified four vices to be eliminated in toto: Azhukkaru (Jealousy), Ava (Greed/Avarice), Veguli (Anger), and Inna Sol (Harsh Words).

If young people shun these four evils and uphold integrity, they need not seek righteousness elsewhere—they are already practising true Dharma in service of the nation. I hold absolute faith that our vibrant youth will lead India toward a glorious future.

Watch the Full Video Interview

Watch the complete interview of Shri T S Krishna Murthy in conversation with Priyadharshni Rahul below: