By AMIT KUMAR
Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi recounts a private meeting with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, describing the late leader’s deep concern over protecting the Election Commission’s credibility.
New Delhi, July 12, 2026 — Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has revealed a deeply personal conversation with late Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his forthcoming book, India and I: A Hundred Memories, Not a Memoir, recounting how Singh became visibly distressed during a 2012 controversy involving the Election Commission.
According to a report published by Hindustan, the episode dates back to the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, when the Election Commission took exception to campaign remarks made by then Union minister Salman Khurshid regarding reservation for Muslims, which the poll panel viewed as violating the Model Code of Conduct.
Quraishi, per the report in the Hindi daily, writes that criticism of the Election Commission by some Congress leaders prompted him to convey his concerns to the Prime Minister’s Office. Soon afterwards, Singh personally requested an urgent meeting at his official residence, the book adds.
During the meeting, Singh reportedly told Quraishi: “Harish has told me everything you said. If you also think this about me, I will commit suicide.” The remark, according to Quraishi, reflected the Prime Minister’s anguish that his own commitment to institutional integrity had been questioned, added the Hindi daily.
Quraishi says he immediately clarified that his concerns were directed at the conduct of certain ministers and not at Singh personally, per the report by Hindustan. He recalled, added the daily, that the Prime Minister responded by saying he had been unaware of the developments and assured him that, had he known, he would have reprimanded the ministers concerned.
The former CEC also quotes Singh, per the report, as describing the Election Commission as “not only the pride of India but the soul of our democracy,” adding that weakening the institution would amount to weakening the country’s democratic foundations.
According to Quraishi, criticism of the Election Commission from Congress leaders subsided after the meeting. Reflecting on the episode, he praises Singh as a leader who understood both the authority and the responsibility of public office, describing him as unusually sensitive in an era often associated with political confrontation.
The revelations appear in India and I: A Hundred Memories, Not a Memoir, which is scheduled for release later this week. The account offers a rare glimpse into Singh’s private leadership style and his efforts to preserve the credibility of constitutional institutions during politically sensitive moments.
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