"If Questions Are Being Raised...": Chirag Paswan To Poll Body Chief

Trust of the people is at the heart of the matter, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, an ally of the BJP, underlined on Friday as he urged the Election Commission, especially its chief, Gyanesh Kumar, to lay to rest the reports of internal disquiet in the poll panel.

The visible disquiet in the public during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, it appears, also found its way into the poll body's working as seen in the investigation by The Indian Express. 

The Indian Express report on Wednesday claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders related to the SIR process.

"If such questions are being raised against the Election Commission, I believe it is also the responsibility of the Election Commission, especially the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), to firmly present its side. I don't care what the opposition says because it is their job is to do politics," Union Minister Chirag Pawan said.

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"The Election Commission must maintain the trust of the people because if doubts arise in the public's mind about the electoral process itself, that would be wrong. In such a situation, the Election Commission should firmly put forth its points so that no doubts arise in the people's minds," Paswan added.

The key issues flagged in the Express report include rapid centralisation of the ERONet electoral roll database platform, unilateral changes made to new voter registration forms in Form 6 and decisions regarding voter list deletions during the SIR exercise.

The poll body clarified that internal technical notes and written queries are standard procedure in a multi-member body. It assured that all final decisions regarding the SIR process were taken unanimously and have full legal sanction.

It maintained that all final decisions taken by the Commission, including those related to the SIR exercise, were unanimous and carried the approval of all three commissioners.

On Thursday, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, addressing a press conference, said votes are being stolen, which renders the laws made by MPs illegal. Gandhi termed Gyanesh Kumar a traitor, demanded his resignation and warned that the Congress would not remain silent and watch democracy in India "being destroyed". 

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The same day, the Cockroach Janata Party demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and warned of starting a nationwide agitation if this did not happen within 48 hours.