{{Short description|Indian civil servant}} {{Use British English|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = James Michael Lyngdoh |image = J.M. Lyngdoh.png |image_size = 120px |office = [[Chief Election Commissioner of India]] |term_start = 14 June 2001 |term_end = 7 February 2004 |predecessor = [[M. S. Gill]] |successor = [[T. S. Krishnamurthy]] |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1939|02|8|df=y}} |birth_name = |death_date = |death_name = |occupation = Civil servant |awards = [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] 2003 Government Service }}
'''James Michael Lyngdoh''' (born 8 February 1939) is an Indian civil servant and was [[Chief Election Commissioner of India]] from 14 June 2001 to 7 February 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eci.gov.in/Audio_VideoClips/previous-ces.asp |title=Previous Chief Election Commissioners |publisher=Election Commission of India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121060346/http://www.eci.gov.in/Audio_VideoClips/previous-ces.asp |archive-date=21 November 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He was awarded the [[Ramon Magsaysay Award]] for Government Service in 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rmaf.org.ph/index.php?task=4 |title=The Ramon Magsaysay Awardees by Name (Alphabetical) |publisher=Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) |access-date=26 November 2008 |archive-date=7 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207110301/http://www.rmaf.org.ph/index.php?task=4 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Work as Election Commissioner== In 1997, the president named Lyngdoh one of India's three election commissioners. By 2001 he was chief election commissioner. Lyngdoh soon faced crisis in two of India's most troubled states.
===Gujarat Elections, and Confrontation with Narendra Modi=== In July 2002, S S Bhandari, Governor of Gujarat on the recommendation of State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister [[Narendra Modi]], dissolved the Gujarat Assembly nine months before its term was due to end. The decision, attacked by main Opposition [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] and Left parties, was seen as an attempt to force the Election Commission to hold early elections in view of the Constitutional mandate prohibiting a more than six-month gap between two sessions of the House.<ref name="The Economic Times">{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2002-07-19/news/27337221_1_gujarat-cabinet-polls-gujarat-assembly|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629122314/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2002-07-19/news/27337221_1_gujarat-cabinet-polls-gujarat-assembly|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2013|work=Economic Times|title=Gujarat Assembly dissolved, early poll sought|date=19 July 2002}}</ref> The dissolution of the assembly had been publicly opposed by the Election Commission in wake of the then recent [[2002 Gujarat riots|communal violence]] in the state.<ref name="The Economic Times"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=12875|work=Indian Express|title=Modi's poll vault: EC only hurdle|date=19 July 2002}}</ref>
The Election Commission headed by Lyngdoh ruled out early elections in Gujarat.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://hindu.com/2002/08/17/stories/2002081704870100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220073358/http://hindu.com/2002/08/17/stories/2002081704870100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 December 2013|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=EC rules out early polls in Gujarat|date=17 August 2002}}</ref> On 20 August 2002, in a public meeting at Bodeli, near Vadodara, Modi targeted Lyngdoh. Modi insinuated that the reason the Election Commission had delayed holding the Gujarat assembly elections was because Lyngdoh was a Christian.
Lyngdoh hit back at Modi for attacking him on religious grounds, saying it was "quite despicable" and "gossip of menials" by those who have not heard of atheism.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?217399|work=Outlook|title='Some journalists asked me recently, ''Has James Michael Lyngdoh come from Italy?''|date=30 September 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-08-24/india/27319645_1_gujarat-chief-minister-james-michael-lyngdoh-improper-language|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719060635/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-08-24/india/27319645_1_gujarat-chief-minister-james-michael-lyngdoh-improper-language|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 July 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=PM raps Modi for remarks on Lyngdoh|date=24 August 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=14086|work=Indian Express|title=Gujarat polls: Lyngdoh hits back at Modi|date=24 August 2002}}</ref>
A day after Prime Minister Vajapayee's rebuke, Modi claimed that the controversy with Lyngdoh was over following Vajpayee's "guidelines" but reiterated his demand for early assembly elections in Gujarat.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://hindu.com/2002/08/26/stories/2002082604310100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220073732/http://hindu.com/2002/08/26/stories/2002082604310100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 December 2013|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Controversy over: Modi|date=26 August 2002}}</ref> In October 2002, the [[Supreme Court of India]] upheld the Election Commission's order to defer assembly elections in Gujarat.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-10-28/india/27317593_1_constitution-bench-gujarat-polls-assembly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220005643/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-10-28/india/27317593_1_constitution-bench-gujarat-polls-assembly|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 December 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=SC upholds EC order on Gujarat|date=28 October 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://hindu.com/2002/09/03/stories/2002090305670100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220074818/http://hindu.com/2002/09/03/stories/2002090305670100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 December 2013|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=Supreme Court upholds EC decision on Gujarat polls|date=3 September 2002}}</ref>
==Publications== In 2004, Lyngdoh published a book titled ''"Chronicles of an Impossible Election"''<ref name=book>{{cite book|last=Lingdoh|first=James Michael|title=Chronicle of an impossible election: the Election Commission and the 2002 Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections|year=2004|publisher=Penguin Books India|location=India|isbn=9780670057665|page=254}}</ref>. In this book he has dealt with the electoral process in India and the role of Election Commission. It is a chronicle of the assembly elections held in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] in the year 2002. It also discusses the Gujarat elections of 2002. The book received widespread acclaim and praise.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/br/2004/09/21/stories/2004092100221300.htm|work=The Hindu|title=Lyngdoh's truth|date=21 September 2004|access-date=23 May 2013|archive-date=1 April 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050401041902/http://www.hindu.com/br/2004/09/21/stories/2004092100221300.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-and-the-arts/books/story/20040726-indai-today-book-review-chronicle-of-an-impossible-election-by-james-michael-lyngdoh-july2004-790368-2004-07-25|work=India Today|title=Limner Lyngdoh|date=26 July 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec122004/br1.asp|work=Deccan Herald|title=The power of democracy|date=12 December 2004|access-date=23 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305023007/http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec122004/br1.asp|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/storyOld.php?storyId=50316|work=Indian Express|title=Modi kept calling him James Michael, RSS sent Lyngdoh a letter: you have made us proud|date=4 July 2004}}</ref>
==View on Indian Politics and Politicians== Lyngdoh has frequently expressed his disdain for politics and politicians. After winning the Ramon Magasaysay Award, he was asked what advice he had for fellow bureaucrats. Lyngdoh said: "Keep away from politicians as they may spread cancer." In February 2004, in an interview, Lyngdoh had said: "Politicians by appointment only, all others are welcome to my house."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/23/stories/2004022302430100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040430205841/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/23/stories/2004022302430100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=30 April 2004|work=[[The Hindu]]|title=At home in wilderness|date=23 February 2004}}</ref> In August 2002, Lyngdoh had said that "I think the politics today is dirty, vitiated and tendentious."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1020824/asp/nation/story_1132647.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020927190221/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1020824/asp/nation/story_1132647.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 September 2002|work=The Telegraph|title=Lyngdoh lashes out at 'gossip menials'|date=24 August 2002}}</ref> Lyngdoh described politicians as a "cancer" which has no cure.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2004-02-07/news/27372669_1_james-michael-lyngdoh-chief-election-commissioner-jm-lyngdoh|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629121413/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2004-02-07/news/27372669_1_james-michael-lyngdoh-chief-election-commissioner-jm-lyngdoh|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 June 2013|work=The Economic Times|title=Lyngdoh to vote himself out on Saturday|date=7 February 2004}}</ref>
In 2013, J M Lyngdoh has expressed in views on "Decriminalization of Indian Electoral system" at the quarterly lecture series organised by the Centre of Public Policy Research (CPPR) supported by [[South Indian Bank]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cppr.in/innews/lyngdoh-backs-proportional-representation-deccan-chronicle/|title=Lyngdoh backs proportional representation, Deccan Chronicle}}</ref>
==Post-retirement== * He remains active in public life after retirement. He is one of the members of [[India Rejuvenation Initiative]] an Indian anti-corruption organisation formed by a group of retired and serving bureaucrats.<ref name="EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS">{{cite web|url=http://www.iri.org.in/members/members_main.htm|title=EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS|publisher=IRI|access-date=9 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324002655/http://www.iri.org.in/members/members_main.htm|archive-date=24 March 2012}}</ref> * In February 2011, Lyngdoh, while speaking to journalists after chairing a session on ''Free & Fair Elections – The Soul of Democracy'', said state funding of elections is 'useless' and that a proportionate representation system where the electoral fight takes place between parties and not candidates would be more appropriate since it would involve significantly less expenditure.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/state-funding-for-elections-is-a-useless-thing-lyngdoh/article1200113.ece|work=The Hindu|title=State Funding for Elections is a Useless thing|date=9 February 2011}}</ref>
In June 2012, Lyngdoh, while addressing a round table on "Indian Democracy & Elections – What is to be done?", said that a proportional representation system for at least 50 percent of the seats of the legislatures would reduce electoral malpractices. He explained that political parties would reduce the need to spend huge amounts of funds on elections of individuals if the switch to proportional representation is made. He opined that the Election Commission should take charge of even the internal elections of political parties since in his opinion that is the only way to ensure democracy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/competition-leading-to-poll-malpractices-lyngdoh/article3510886.ece|work=The Hindu|title=Competition leading to poll malpractices: Lyngdoh|date=10 June 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Chief Election Commissioners of India}} {{RMA winners of India}} {{Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyngdoh, J. M.}} [[Category:Ramon Magsaysay Award winners]] [[Category:Chief election commissioners of India]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Khasi people]] [[Category:1939 births]] [[Category:Indian Administrative Service officers]] [[Category:People from Meghalaya]] [[Category:National Defence College, India alumni]]