‘ECI Being Played Like Puppets By Modi, Shah’: Congress Chief Kharge After INDIA Bloc Meet - VIDEO

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of exerting influence over the Election Commission, as leaders of the INDIA bloc announced a joint campaign against the poll panel over the ongoing row surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of Opposition parties in New Delhi, Kharge alleged that the Election Commission was being used as a “puppet” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said the Opposition would intensify its campaign with a joint march to the Election Commission’s office in Delhi on October 6 and a major “Save Democracy” rally in the national capital on November 1.

The INDIA bloc has also decided to organise district-level “Save Democracy” marches across the country from October 2 to 8. Kharge said all Opposition MPs who support the campaign would participate in the October 6 march to the ECI.

The Congress chief said the Opposition’s objective was to ensure that voters remained the ultimate authority in the country’s democratic system. Among the demands outlined by the bloc are the use of pre-SIR electoral rolls in future elections, complete transparency in additions and deletions from electoral rolls, prior notice and an appeal mechanism before legitimate voters are removed, and safeguards against exclusion caused by administrative shortcomings.

Kharge also called for voting through ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), besides seeking greater institutional accountability and an Election Commission that enjoys confidence across the political spectrum.

The Opposition’s campaign comes amid reports of differences within the three-member Election Commission over aspects of the SIR exercise. The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on record at least 14 times over 10 months to certain decisions and orders. The ECI, however, has said that its decisions, including those concerning SIR, were unanimous.

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee also demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and accused the poll panel of irregularities in the SIR exercise.