BJP Defends CEC, Says Differences Reflect Healthy Democracy
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said exchanges of views among the three Election Commissioners showed that deliberations were taking place within the constitutional body and rejected the Opposition’s criticism of the CEC.
New Delhi:The BJP on Wednesday defended Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid the controversy over reported differences within the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying differing views among Election Commissioners were a sign of a “healthy democracy”.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said exchanges of views among the three Election Commissioners showed that deliberations were taking place within the constitutional body and rejected the Opposition’s criticism of the CEC.
Patra was responding to reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over the past 10 months to decisions or administrative instructions concerning the SIR and electoral rolls.
Referring to the reported exchanges among the commissioners, Patra said they reflected “pure democracy” and showed that there was discussion and deliberation within the poll panel.
He said the Election Commission had clarified that the final decision on conducting the SIR was taken unanimously by the three-member commission.
The BJP spokesperson accused the Opposition of trying to create a controversy over normal institutional deliberations and said differences of opinion during a decision-making process should not be portrayed as evidence of wrongdoing.
The Election Commission has also maintained that written observations, technical suggestions and internal checks among Election Commissioners are part of normal institutional functioning. It said the commission’s final decisions and directions are issued after due deliberation.
The BJP’s defence came after Opposition parties stepped up their attack on the CEC following reports of differences within the poll body over the SIR exercise. The Opposition has demanded action against Kumar and questioned the legality of decisions taken during the revision of electoral rolls.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reiterated his allegations of “vote chori” and accused the Election Commission of acting in favour of the BJP. The BJP and the Election Commission have rejected such allegations.