HighLights
  1. Two election commissioners raised objections to several decisions
  2. Senior officials Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi "officially objected" 
  3. The decisions were taken after a common consensus: EC sources

Election Commission Row: The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a clarification after a media report claimed that the two Election Commissioners -- Vivek Joshi and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu -- raised objections to several decisions, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, taken by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The Election Commission, in its press release, stated that "differing views and objections are a part of the decision-making process", and all officers of the poll body are authorised to put their views and suggestions before "a final decision is taken".

"Differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution. They are a part of the decision-making process before a final decision is taken. Not only the three Commissioners, but every officer of the Commission is fully authorised to give his suggestions to the Commission for improving the electoral system," the EC said.

What Media Report Claimed About Objections To SIR-Related Decisions?

A report by the Indian Express claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi officially objected to several key decisions taken without their consultation. 

The report further stated that while the SIR of the electoral roll was conducted under the supervision of all three commissioners, Sandhu and Joshi have formally objected, on record, at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions taken and orders issued without their knowledge.

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The report further suggests that both the ECs raised objections to several issues, including lack of transparency, addition of new voters and deletion of names during the SIR. They also raised concerns over the integrity of voter software and even consulted the Cabinet Secretary.

What Election Commission Said On Media Report?

In its response to the claims in the media report, the poll body said that the report provides only one part of the story and "systematically" ignored the "much larger body of decisions and approvals" taken in the past year.

"Highlighting certain specific internal notes/observations spread over the period of 10 months while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives give only one part of the picture," it said.

"In recent months, the Commission has taken numerous decisions, issued instructions, introduced around 40 new initiatives and undertaken many electoral reforms including the conduct of Electoral roll revision (including SIR) across the country. All these decisions are an outcome of the unanimous decisions of the full Commission in the past one year," the EC added.

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Opposition Leaders React

Soon after the report came to light, several prominent opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Banerjee, and Aditya Thackeray sought an independent probe and an immediate removal of the chief election commissioner.

"For some people to betray democracy by becoming puppets of those in power is a grave constitutional crime. This is nothing less than a conspiracy to wipe out democracy. Honorable Supreme Court, take suo motu cognizance!" Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said in a post on X.

"Gyanesh Kumar Gupta exercises extraordinary control over an institution that the Election Commissioners are supposed to run collectively. In the process, he has single-handedly presided over the destruction of the integrity of India’s electoral process at the BJP's behest," Congress leader Pawan Khera wrote in his post.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that governments formed during a period when the Election Commission was not functioning impartially were "unconstitutional", and said the alleged interference with the poll panel amounted to "trampling" democracy.

"This is dangerous for our democracy. This is an attempt to weaken our democracy," he said. Yadav said the Election Commission was a constitutional body and questioned who was "playing with" such an institution for the purpose of remaining in government.

"What can you imagine now? Would the Election Commission have been fair? Would it have been impartial?" the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked. He said if decisions of the poll panel were being questioned from within the institution itself, it raised serious questions about the functioning of an institution whose basic expectation was impartiality.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that if CEC Gyanesh Kumar was aware of elections being rigged and allowed it to happen, then it was "treachery to the nation" and "an act of treason". She said that he has repeatedly highlighted multiple issues, and now it is coming out in the news media as well that Election Commissioners themselves have highlighted some of the issues to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

ALSO READ: Odisha SIR: Final Electoral Roll Published, Over 20 Lakh Names Deleted | What To Do If Your Name Is Missing

"So, I think it is an extremely serious issue for our democracy because if there are no elections, where is democracy? If the elections are unfair and are being rigged in any manner and the ECI is assisting in that, and the Election Commissioner is not only aware of it, but also allowing it to happen, then it is a very very serious assault on democracy. It is actually treachery with the nation. it is an act of treason," she said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray demanded that Gyanesh Kumar be jailed and demanded that the last elections in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu be nullified and repolls be held in these states using ballot papers.

"Gyanesh Kumar should be immediately sacked and jailed. I thank Election Commissioners (ECs) Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi for exposing Gyanesh Kumar," Thackeray said.

Row Over SIR

Earlier during the assembly elections in Bihar, West Bengal, and Delhi, the opposition leaders had alleged that the names of people from the marginalised section were being removed by the poll body. However, the EC had stated that the revision process was being done as per the rules of constitution.


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