New Delhi: Former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member Karan Singh today (Dec 26, 2003) criticised Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh for his attack on politicians, which he said was not "justified" as it contained "sweeping statements".

"The CEC in one of his characteristically unbalanced statements has tarred all politicians in India with the same brush.

"It is true that there is a great deal of corruption and nepotism in our political life, but it is also true that there are a number of men and women who are in politics not to make money but, believe it or not, to try and serve the country," he said in a statement.

Singh said Lyngdoh was not justified in making these sorts of "sweeping statements" which tended to bring an already unfortunately discredited political class into further disrepute.

"Certainly urgent measures need to be taken to stem the political rot in the country and in fact the recent constitutional amendment regarding defections and size of ministries is a significant step in that direction," he said.

Singh said it should be remembered that without politicians and political parties the whole system of constitutional governance would collapse.

"The remedy lies in improving the quality and calibre of people in politics rather than condemning them wholesale," he said.