New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said it is now established beyond doubt that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar changed Form 6 "illegally and unilaterally", and asserted that the CEC as well as everyone else involved in this "criminal assault on democracy" will be held accountable.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha's remarks come after the Supreme Court said that it has not approved any modifications to Form 6 being used by the Election Commission during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in various states.
Form 6 is an application through which an eligible person seeks inclusion in the electoral roll for the first time.
Gandhi also shared on X the screenshot of the September 26 Election Commission statement which read -- "The declaration attached to Form 6 for SIR has been upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. For non-SIR period, the Forms applicable as per Rules (the Registration of Electors Rules 1960) will be used."
In his post on X, Gandhi said, "It is now established beyond doubt that Gyanesh Kumar changed Form 6 illegally and unilaterally. This is just one more proof of him abusing his position to help the BJP.
"He and everyone else involved in this criminal assault on our democracy will be held accountable," Gandhi said.
Jairam Ramesh Speaks Out
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also lashed out at the CEC, saying obviously and very clearly the CEC lied.
"Form 6 was deliberately modified by the CEC himself to delete Gen Z voters of whom the PM is simply terrified," Ramesh said on X.
Their remarks came after the Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Election Commission and the Centre on pleas alleging that the poll body took several decisions without the approval of the two election commissioners and said it will annul decisions found not to be in accordance with law.
The top court, however, refused to pass any interim direction to restrain Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar from taking any decision till the final disposal of the petition.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said that it may examine the immunity clause put in the law which gives protection to the CEC even after holding the office.
"We will examine all the decisions. If any decision is not in accordance with the law, we will annul it. You know the power of the court," the bench said as it pointed out that the immunity granted to the CEC is something which even judges don't have.
The bench also said, "Any modification to Form 6 has not been approved by us. Let's be clear. When records are produced, we would like to see who has modified it".
Gandhi also tagged his post from October 1 in which he had said the online Form 6 was changed "illegally" and asked who at the Election Commission ordered Tata Consultancy Services to make that change and who at the company signed off on it.
"The online Form 6 was changed illegally -- as the EC's own Commissioners have recorded. Who at the ECI ordered Tata Consultancy Services to make that change?" Gandhi had said.
"Who at TCS signed off on it? And were they pressured into doing it?" he had said on X.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
