Owaisi Questions Legality Of EC's Decisions Over SIR Differences

Hyderabad: Amid reports of internal differences in the Election Commission over the SIR exercise, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday questioned the legality of the poll panel's decisions if a majority of its members were unaware of the decisions taken in its name. The EC enjoyed the trust of the largest proportion of India "once upon a time", but has seen a continuous decline, he claimed.

"If a majority of the Election Commission is itself in the dark on decisions taken in its name, then what is the legality of its decisions?" he asked in a post on X.

"In the past year, it has been seen how the SIR has perpetuated a crisis in which poorest of the poor are harassed and denied the dignity of being a citizen. The poor are reduced to their documents," he alleged.

"The question used to be, who will watch the watchdogs." Now, it's "Is there even a watchdog?" he said.

Under fire over red flags raised by two of its Commissioners over the SIR process, the Election Commission on Wednesday asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution and all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures. In a statement, the EC also said that 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 any operational queries or inputs raised by Commission members during draft stages are part of standard administrative practice aimed at safeguarding voter rights, and the suggestions given by the Commissioners were for further improving the electoral processes.