Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], September 28 (ANI): Congress Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday termed the ongoing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls a “shocking situation”, alleging that citizens were being denied their democratic voting rights and calling for an accountable electoral system.
Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said, “What we're seeing is unfortunately the denial of democratic voting rights to citizens of India. They are finding their right to vote, which is a constitutional guarantee democratic right, being taken away. To my mind, this is completely unacceptable. And what is essential for us today is to ensure that whatever happens, our own democratic rights as citizens should be protected above all...”
He alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had taken decisions that bypassed the other two Election Commissioners and claimed that changes to the electoral software had prevented electoral officers from restoring voters who had been deleted.
“He (CEC Gyanesh Kumar) has taken decisions on 14 occasions that have bypassed the other two commissioners. He has unilaterally changed the software in such a way that the electoral officers don't have the right to even restore people who have been unjustly deleted. We are seeing irregularities left, right, and center...” Tharoor said.
The Congress has been protesting against the SIR of electoral rolls and has alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
Tharoor said the Congress Working Committee would meet on September 29 and that opposition parties would come together to raise the issue.
“So the Congress Working Committee is meeting tomorrow... All the opposition parties are getting together. And I think the whole idea is to come forward with a strong, united voice...” he said.
He further said that the issue was being watched internationally. “The entire democratic world is looking at us and saying, what is going on in India? This is a shocking situation...” Tharoor said.
Tharoor also appealed to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and voters to support the demand for an accountable electoral system.
“I would say that any genuinely committed Indian Democrat, even if he's a BJP member or a BJP voter, should be supporting our demand for an accountable electoral system so that once again the elections of India can be the pride of the nation.”
Opposition parties including the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have also called for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
The row intensified after an Indian Express report said "Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over a period of 10 months on decisions and orders related to the SIR process and other electoral matters." The reported disagreements included issues concerning Form 6, voter deletions and access to electoral-roll databases.
However, the Election Commission had earlier rejected the suggestion that the objections amounted to institutional dissent over final decisions. The poll panel said operational queries, inputs and suggestions raised during the draft stage were part of its standard administrative and decision-making process. The Commission maintained that all decisions, including those related to SIR, were unanimous and had the approval of all three commissioners.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Monday hit back at Union Minister JP Nadda over his criticism of the Opposition's allegations against the Election Commission, asserting that Rahul Gandhi's claims about the poll panel had been “established” by the objections raised by two Election Commissioners.
Speaking to ANI, Venugopal was responding to Nadda's remarks that the EC had exposed the Opposition's “lies” and that repeating a falsehood multiple times did not make it true.
“Rahul Gandhi doesn't tell any lie. He tells the truth only. That has been established now by two Election Commissioners, not by Congress leaders," he said. (ANI)
"Shocking situation”: Shashi Tharoor on electoral roll row
