India, Oct. 5 -- They are all honourable men and women, but all too often they, their children, and sundry other kin find themselves in a conflict of interest not only with the law but also with the nation and the Constitution they are sworn to protect.

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma heard Election Commission matters in the Supreme Court while his elder son, Siddharth Sharma, was standing counsel for the Commission in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

The sons are not arguing those Supreme Court cases themselves, but a curative petition has been filed on the appearance of bias. However, the reporting does not establish actual bias; the smoke has insinuated fears of a fire.

Many of the Election Commission's legal issues are in the High Cou...