In the 1977 Lok Sabha polls, held after the Emergency, 'vote without fear' was the slogan the ECI chose to put on its posters exhorting voters to cast their votes freely.
CEC T Swaminathan described the election as 'historic' for having obtained a majority for the first time in 25 years for a party other than the Indian National Congress.
Swaminathan went on to emphasise the role the ECI played in restoring democracy, as 'an independent, objective, honest and impartial agency', a role which he claimed was widely acclaimed in India and abroad.
(Published 18 April 2024, 12:45 IST)
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