EC faultlines have a long history, dating back to 1989

NEW DELHI: It is not the first time that faultlines within the Election Commission are out in the open. The trend started from the time it became a multi-member body in 1989, reports Bharti Jain.Two election commissioners S S Dhanoa and V S Seigell were appointed in Oct 1989 and joined EC then led by chief election commissioner (CEC) R V S Peri Sastri. It is widely believed the new arrangement was perceived by Shastri as a dilution in power. By Jan 1990, their appointments were rescinded, and EC reverted to being a single-member body.In 1993, with T N Seshan as an all-powerful CEC, the commission was once again made a multi-member body with appointment of ECs M S Gill and G V G Krishnamurthy.