We as a paper have consistently urged action on two fronts: On the one hand, we counselled the government to lift the ban on indoor politics to carry forward the reform agenda; and on the other, we advised the EC to move with the political parties to initiate dialogue with them. With the political parties in a state of flux, we suggested that letters of invitation be addressed to the presidents and secretaries-general of political parties by designation leaving it to them to send their representatives. This is what the EC has actually decided to do now. What stopped them from doing it earlier?

Since from the beginning the EC was clear in its mind that intra-party reform was for the political parties to carry out while the EC was involved with its electoral reform proposals, nothing should have stood in the way of the EC to conduct discussion on its reform agenda with the political parties.

As with the preparation of voter list, so with the initiation of a reform process, the EC has given mixed signals. At one stage, they gave the impression that the political parties had to complete their intra-party reform processes before the electoral reform agenda could be taken up. There was even a suggestion that 'making or breaking of political parties' must come to an end before the task of electoral reform were taken in hand.

Such phases thought to have been over now with the EC's fresh decision, the political parties must make the most of the overture to cooperate in bringing about the much-needed electoral reform. Meanwhile, the onus is on the government to create condition for talks and then maintain it.