Manmohan Singh told me ‘I’ll commit suicide’ over remarks against EC, recalls former CEC S.Y Quraishi
New Delhi, July 13, 2026 (ANI): Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi has recalled an emotional interaction with former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, saying the late Congress leader was deeply committed to protecting the dignity of the Election Commission and was distressed by criticism of the poll body by some of his ministers.
In an interview with ANI, Quraishi, who served as Chief Election Commissioner from 2010 to 2012, recounted an incident during the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections after the Election Commission censured then Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid for violating the Model Code of Conduct.
According to Quraishi, Khurshid had promised increased reservation for minorities during the election campaign, prompting complaints from the BJP. After hearing both sides, the Election Commission concluded that the remarks violated the Model Code of Conduct and issued what Quraishi described as the “maximum punishment” available to the Commission.
He alleged that after the EC’s action, some Congress leaders and ministers made “loose remarks” against both the Election Commission and him personally.
“I don’t mind criticism of me personally, but criticism of the Election Commission was unacceptable,” Quraishi said.
He said he later conveyed his concerns to Harish Khare, who was then the Prime Minister’s media adviser, asking him to inform Dr. Manmohan Singh about the issue.
Recalling the subsequent meeting with the Prime Minister, Quraishi said Singh called him urgently the next day.
“When I met him, he said, ‘Mr. Quraishi, Harish has told me about your conversation last night. If that is what you think, I’ll commit suicide,’” Quraishi recalled.
The former CEC said he was taken aback by the Prime Minister’s response and spent nearly 15 to 20 minutes reassuring him that his intention was only to bring the matter to his notice.
“I told him that I admired him because he had always been a great supporter of the Election Commission. His reaction reflected his sensitivity and the immense respect he had for the institution,” Quraishi said.
He added that, in Singh’s view, any aspersion cast on the Election Commission was unacceptable.
The incident dates back to the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, when Salman Khurshid was censured by the Election Commission for promising a 9 per cent reservation for backward Muslims while campaigning for his wife, Louise Khurshid, the Congress candidate from Farrukhabad. Khurshid later expressed regret over his remarks and said he respected the Election Commission’s decision. (ANI)