'Make election of UN secretary-general an open, democratic process'

United tions, April 28: With the election of a secretary-general looming next year amid rising major global challenges, India has called for making the selection of a successor to Ban Ki-moon an open, democratic process where all member tions have a greater say. Permanent Representative Asoke Kumar Mukerji told a panel considering reforms to the election process that the Security Council should present a slate of candidates, rather than just one, to the General Assembly, which should elect one of them by two-thirds of the votes.

In election process that has been followed so far, the Security Council members-essentially the five veto-wielding permanent ones-agree on one candidate leaving it to the General Assembly to vote for or against the candidate. In practical terms though, the other UN members do not have a real choice and the General Assembly simply elects by acclamation the person anointed by the permanent members through their back-room deals. (IANS)