Theyre usually quick to pounce on any "transgression" by their political opponents. But now its the BJP-led government, "the upholder of democratic norms", that has brazenly trampled convention. By transfering 21 senior bureaucratsincluding the home secretary, whose role in ensuring an impartial poll is vitalwithin 24 hours, the caretaker Vajpayee government is only taking a leaf out of Laloo Prasad Yadavs and Kalyan Singhs books. Its worse, actually, because at least the two state governments have the mandate of their respective state assemblies. But that has not bothered leading lights of the coalition such as George Fernandes, who have demanded that Laloos pre-poll transfers be monitored. It begs the question: who will monitor the monitors?