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Through the Broken Glass: An Autobiography
2 August 1993: A red-letter day for democracy in India
On this day, elections were indefinitely postponed through an order issued by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), T.N. Seshan. The CEC, ironically, is tasked to ‘conduct’ elections, so who in his right mind would do such a thing in a democracy?
Seshan had put everything on the line while signing that order. And it was an indication as to the lengths he would go to prosecute his designated mandate. And the Supreme Court too did not find the order to be unlawful.
Before Seshan came on the scene, the Election Commission was increasingly functioning as an appendage of the government. Over and above that, there was evidence that malpractice and lawlessness in elections were reaching alarming levels. If that trend were to continue then further down that track lay the ignominy of a banana republic and the danger of Balkanization.
Fearless to the core, in his autobiography, Through the Broken Glass, Seshan brings to light his years of struggles to usher in a new era of electoral reforms in India. Not the one to mince words and Seshan’s devil-may-care attitude and righteous self-awareness took even the Union governments by surprise. Written by a person who never cowered to the high and mighty, the book gives a noholds- barred account of the man who revolutionized the electoral process.
Thought-provoking and inspiring to the core, Through the Broken Glass is a testament to the grit and determination of the man who wagered a lone struggle to bring about a colossal change in the Indian electoral system.
On this day, elections were indefinitely postponed through an order issued by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), T.N. Seshan. The CEC, ironically, is tasked to ‘conduct’ elections, so who in his right mind would do such a thing in a democracy?
Seshan had put everything on the line while signing that order. And it was an indication as to the lengths he would go to prosecute his designated mandate. And the Supreme Court too did not find the order to be unlawful.
Before Seshan came on the scene, the Election Commission was increasingly functioning as an appendage of the government. Over and above that, there was evidence that malpractice and lawlessness in elections were reaching alarming levels. If that trend were to continue then further down that track lay the ignominy of a banana republic and the danger of Balkanization.
Fearless to the core, in his autobiography, Through the Broken Glass, Seshan brings to light his years of struggles to usher in a new era of electoral reforms in India. Not the one to mince words and Seshan’s devil-may-care attitude and righteous self-awareness took even the Union governments by surprise. Written by a person who never cowered to the high and mighty, the book gives a noholds- barred account of the man who revolutionized the electoral process.
Thought-provoking and inspiring to the core, Through the Broken Glass is a testament to the grit and determination of the man who wagered a lone struggle to bring about a colossal change in the Indian electoral system.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 23, 2023
Very candid memoir of a bureaucrat whose service to the nation can’t be overstated.
Most of the book is about his tenure as CEC. He details all the steps taken, pushbacks received, court battles fought and changes brought upon the electoral system in India. The stances he took and positions he pushes for and mode of conduct he advocated for were derived just from a clear understanding and execution of the Constitution, but were path breaking in the context of the usual way of business pertaining to elections at the time.
My colleague rightfully says “Bureaucrats are poor marketers”, and it’s evident from this book. The book is very fact-based and language is clear, but it’s not interesting. The prose reads like a report, albeit some personal elements and sound reasoning makes it readable.
I wish CEC had a twitter account back then, and all bureaucrats could convey clearly the value their service provided to the common man.
I will highly recommend “Backstage” by Montek Ahluwalia as well. That one reads quite better than this.
“Advice and Dissent” by YV Reddy is slightly better and little more fun to read.
Most of the book is about his tenure as CEC. He details all the steps taken, pushbacks received, court battles fought and changes brought upon the electoral system in India. The stances he took and positions he pushes for and mode of conduct he advocated for were derived just from a clear understanding and execution of the Constitution, but were path breaking in the context of the usual way of business pertaining to elections at the time.
My colleague rightfully says “Bureaucrats are poor marketers”, and it’s evident from this book. The book is very fact-based and language is clear, but it’s not interesting. The prose reads like a report, albeit some personal elements and sound reasoning makes it readable.
I wish CEC had a twitter account back then, and all bureaucrats could convey clearly the value their service provided to the common man.
I will highly recommend “Backstage” by Montek Ahluwalia as well. That one reads quite better than this.
“Advice and Dissent” by YV Reddy is slightly better and little more fun to read.
December 7, 2025
Brilliant life story. Very direct, detailed and easy to read.
Anyone interested in 90s politics and history will really enjoy looking at behind the scenes of a lot of electoral reforms that happened and strengthened the election process during those days.
A little sad that this book is not that well-known / publicized.
Anyone interested in 90s politics and history will really enjoy looking at behind the scenes of a lot of electoral reforms that happened and strengthened the election process during those days.
A little sad that this book is not that well-known / publicized.
January 13, 2024
Greetings friends. Now that I have finished this book, I am immensely happy that the autobiography of this stellar personality wasn't missed out by me. I cannot thank my father enough for introducing me to him. In fact, this book was a gift to him by me. I only had broken recollections of what a great man he, based on whatever stories I had heard during my younger years. It was mostly based on the stories about his work in Election Commission of India. I now know that he had a shining career of a civil servant for 42 years. Not only did he become the Chief Election Commissioner of India, he possesses the distinction of being the top bureaucrat of our nation when he handled the portfolio of cabinet secretariat for a few months in 1989
Out of all the books in my collection, which have been written by bureaucrats, I must say that this one is the most concise, crisp and lucid production of one's life. For all the civil services aspirants out there, it is my sincere recommendation to you all to read it. This book shall come in very handy, not only for keeping one's fire alive, but also in helping one understand and learn how to lead a life of integrity. There are many stories of his life which will intrigue you, however, one of them is personal favorite. He highlights in his book about the horse riding training that newly selected candidates for civil services are provided with. I knew about this training but never understood its significance because horse-riding is neither a mode of transport anymore nor is it a celebrated sport. Mr. Sheshan put it beautifully when he told that riding inspires confidence to face every situation. One thing that the horse will not tolerate is timidity and the same lesson is necessary for a civil servant as timidity can make his or her life miserable.
Mr. Sheshan is extremely candid about his life events through out the book. I am sure that when he was penning them down, he didn't expect how funny and witty they would sound. One of the instances that highlights this quality is when he was made a member of the Planning Commission. He says, "In the Indian government, there are many useless institutions, and the highest of them was the Planning Commission. The pace of work in Yojana Bhawan was so hopelessly slow that I removed the clock in my room and sent it to the commission's secretary with a note attached to it: There is no need of a clock in Yojana Bhawan where nothing is done on time. Sometimes later, I sent him a calendar for similar reasons". If this is not someone with an extremely witty sense of humor, I don't know who is :p:p
Through his personal accounts, I got to vicariously experience the uprightness which sounds like foregone folklore in government services. In one such instance, the then law minister Honorable Vijaya Bhakara Reddy complained against Sheshan to PM Narsimha Rao. Mr. Sheshan was summoned to the PMO where Mr. Reddy was with the PM. He said, "You are not cooperative". To this, Mr. Sheshan replied, "I am not a cooperative society. I represent the ECI. Mr. Prime Minister, I cannot do business with your minister if this is his attitude". I hope that such people still form a part of our governance. But if you ask me, I have my reservations that they do.
I can continue to cite amazing instances of his life but I would be stepping on his toes. I believe one must go through the memoirs as it his story to tell. A must read for all who are interested in Indian history, civil services and electoral process of our country
Out of all the books in my collection, which have been written by bureaucrats, I must say that this one is the most concise, crisp and lucid production of one's life. For all the civil services aspirants out there, it is my sincere recommendation to you all to read it. This book shall come in very handy, not only for keeping one's fire alive, but also in helping one understand and learn how to lead a life of integrity. There are many stories of his life which will intrigue you, however, one of them is personal favorite. He highlights in his book about the horse riding training that newly selected candidates for civil services are provided with. I knew about this training but never understood its significance because horse-riding is neither a mode of transport anymore nor is it a celebrated sport. Mr. Sheshan put it beautifully when he told that riding inspires confidence to face every situation. One thing that the horse will not tolerate is timidity and the same lesson is necessary for a civil servant as timidity can make his or her life miserable.
Mr. Sheshan is extremely candid about his life events through out the book. I am sure that when he was penning them down, he didn't expect how funny and witty they would sound. One of the instances that highlights this quality is when he was made a member of the Planning Commission. He says, "In the Indian government, there are many useless institutions, and the highest of them was the Planning Commission. The pace of work in Yojana Bhawan was so hopelessly slow that I removed the clock in my room and sent it to the commission's secretary with a note attached to it: There is no need of a clock in Yojana Bhawan where nothing is done on time. Sometimes later, I sent him a calendar for similar reasons". If this is not someone with an extremely witty sense of humor, I don't know who is :p:p
Through his personal accounts, I got to vicariously experience the uprightness which sounds like foregone folklore in government services. In one such instance, the then law minister Honorable Vijaya Bhakara Reddy complained against Sheshan to PM Narsimha Rao. Mr. Sheshan was summoned to the PMO where Mr. Reddy was with the PM. He said, "You are not cooperative". To this, Mr. Sheshan replied, "I am not a cooperative society. I represent the ECI. Mr. Prime Minister, I cannot do business with your minister if this is his attitude". I hope that such people still form a part of our governance. But if you ask me, I have my reservations that they do.
I can continue to cite amazing instances of his life but I would be stepping on his toes. I believe one must go through the memoirs as it his story to tell. A must read for all who are interested in Indian history, civil services and electoral process of our country
December 30, 2023
This is a riveting account of the author’s career with an emphasis on his tenure as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. It has been published posthumously upon request of the author. His earlier career makes for an interesting read capturing some key moments with important personalities of the fifties-eighties.
The book also sheds light on an India developing slowly as the trauma of a colonial past fades away. This is most tangible in the impact of the Election Commission on the conduct of elections during Mr. Seshan’s long tenure of six years which he describes in detail. It’s all the more remarkable since his tools were primarily guidelines and strict enforcement/ implementation backed by the courts.
That no CEC before him or since his departure has captured the imagination of India’s voters is evidence for the significant changes he brought about. At the same time, the book also shows his contrariness in declaring that there was not enough work for one CEC, leave alone three commissioners - but later going to the courts to adjudicate the primacy of the CEC over the other commissioners. He includes excerpts of criticism as well as praise making the book a more authentic and compelling read. The nitty gritty detail of electoral change could perhaps have been slimmed down, especially towards the end of the book. Nevertheless, an important contribution to understanding contemporary Indian democracy.
The book also sheds light on an India developing slowly as the trauma of a colonial past fades away. This is most tangible in the impact of the Election Commission on the conduct of elections during Mr. Seshan’s long tenure of six years which he describes in detail. It’s all the more remarkable since his tools were primarily guidelines and strict enforcement/ implementation backed by the courts.
That no CEC before him or since his departure has captured the imagination of India’s voters is evidence for the significant changes he brought about. At the same time, the book also shows his contrariness in declaring that there was not enough work for one CEC, leave alone three commissioners - but later going to the courts to adjudicate the primacy of the CEC over the other commissioners. He includes excerpts of criticism as well as praise making the book a more authentic and compelling read. The nitty gritty detail of electoral change could perhaps have been slimmed down, especially towards the end of the book. Nevertheless, an important contribution to understanding contemporary Indian democracy.
June 7, 2025
An impressive autobiography.
Makes you see the life of a dauntless bureaucrat up close. And he's lived quite a life! Of course, since it's an autobiography, we get to read only one side of the story. But all said and done, his compliance towards his dharma and a clear conscience is really commendable. The book also touches on the frothing history of the Indian politics of 80s and 90s. The only complaint might be the lacklustre and at times, tedious prose. But then again, Seshan never claimed to be a poet.
A great book that helps put a bit of faith back into bureaucracy.
To encapsulate what he truly did for the Indian democracy, I'd like to quote The Pioneer:
The one thing TN Seshan has proved incontrovertibly is that the country's police and administrative officials are not as incompetent and supine as they are generally perceived to be. A modicum of independence and threat of immediate disciplinary action are sufficient to get the otherwise creaking administrative machinery to function smoothly with incredible results.
Makes you see the life of a dauntless bureaucrat up close. And he's lived quite a life! Of course, since it's an autobiography, we get to read only one side of the story. But all said and done, his compliance towards his dharma and a clear conscience is really commendable. The book also touches on the frothing history of the Indian politics of 80s and 90s. The only complaint might be the lacklustre and at times, tedious prose. But then again, Seshan never claimed to be a poet.
A great book that helps put a bit of faith back into bureaucracy.
To encapsulate what he truly did for the Indian democracy, I'd like to quote The Pioneer:
The one thing TN Seshan has proved incontrovertibly is that the country's police and administrative officials are not as incompetent and supine as they are generally perceived to be. A modicum of independence and threat of immediate disciplinary action are sufficient to get the otherwise creaking administrative machinery to function smoothly with incredible results.
January 29, 2024
This book is the autobiography T N Sheshan, former Election Commissioner of India, who brought electoral reforms.
The first half of the book covers his journey from a collector days to the cabinet secretary & the later part covers his days in the Election Commission.
He describes the challenges he faced & pushback received during implementation of electoral reforms like EPIC Card, curbs on election expenditure & strict implementation of the model code of conduct.
It's a good read if you know about the EC, conflicts between various constitutional bodies & the constructional hurdles & powers.
The first half of the book covers his journey from a collector days to the cabinet secretary & the later part covers his days in the Election Commission.
He describes the challenges he faced & pushback received during implementation of electoral reforms like EPIC Card, curbs on election expenditure & strict implementation of the model code of conduct.
It's a good read if you know about the EC, conflicts between various constitutional bodies & the constructional hurdles & powers.
January 16, 2025
T.N.Seshan needs no introduction since any well-informed citizen of India would recognise him. He was the most popular Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India and a nightmare to the politicians during his tenure as CEC. This is one of the few books that enlightens the reader about the electoral system in India. The first few chapters speak about the author’s formative years in the civil service which are quite interesting. He had played a pivotal role in reforming the electoral process in India and for that, if not for anything else, this posthumously published autobiography is worth reading.
August 15, 2025
Quotes I Liked:
▪ In my private and in my public life, I have always wished and done the best I could for the nation and for what is right. What the critics thought about all this was up to them.
▪ ‘I allowed my mind to wander and think about getting into a palace. Even a beggar has the prerogative to dream.’
▪ In my private and in my public life, I have always wished and done the best I could for the nation and for what is right. What the critics thought about all this was up to them.
▪ ‘I allowed my mind to wander and think about getting into a palace. Even a beggar has the prerogative to dream.’
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 9, 2024Matter of fact and brilliant
October 28, 2024
Written like a government report with no deeper insights and only surface level event reporting.
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May 15, 2025An Average book. Initial few chapters are good, later it gets boring.
October 8, 2025
“A Civil Servant’s Story That Inspires More Than It Impresses”
A very good book and a whistle-worthy life. I would definitely recommend it. The language is simple and easy to understand, making it accessible to everyone. The portion leading up to his appointment as CEC makes you feel like you're travelling right alongside him — it’s truly engaging.
However, the second half of the book focuses heavily on his time as the CEC. While it is inspiring, it includes a lot of notices and laws that, at times, pulled me away from the emotional connection of the story.
In one of the reviews, someone mentioned that civil servants might make better marketers than storytellers — and I felt the same after finishing the book. But honestly, that’s just a minor issue. Overall, it's a worthwhile read, and you'll likely enjoy the journey.
----- Review based on first read 4/5 stars -----
A very good book and a whistle-worthy life. I would definitely recommend it. The language is simple and easy to understand, making it accessible to everyone. The portion leading up to his appointment as CEC makes you feel like you're travelling right alongside him — it’s truly engaging.
However, the second half of the book focuses heavily on his time as the CEC. While it is inspiring, it includes a lot of notices and laws that, at times, pulled me away from the emotional connection of the story.
In one of the reviews, someone mentioned that civil servants might make better marketers than storytellers — and I felt the same after finishing the book. But honestly, that’s just a minor issue. Overall, it's a worthwhile read, and you'll likely enjoy the journey.
----- Review based on first read 4/5 stars -----
January 22, 2024
A necessary read for anyone who would like to understand how one man tamed the Indian political class and revolutionised the election apparatus. Seshan, the ultimate Karma Yogi, is an excellent role model for youngsters. The book's linear narrative style is simple and straightforward. In one sense that is fine. Nonetheless, a layered way of narration could have made the book a lot more enchanting and gripping.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews