Ranchi, Sep 23: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) central general secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey on Wednesday questioned the functioning of the Election Commission, citing an investigative report by The Indian Express and alleging that the poll panel’s institutional independence, transparency and credibility were under question.
Pandey said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised at least 14 written objections in 10 months over decisions and orders about which they were allegedly not informed.
“If two Election Commissioners repeatedly register written objections and decisions are still taken, questions will naturally arise as to who was running the Election Commission,” he said.
Calling the issue more than a routine administrative disagreement, Pandey said it concerned the institutional independence, transparency and credibility of the constitutional body.
He demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar explain what action was taken on the objections raised by the two Election Commissioners and how decisions were taken without their knowledge.
Pandey also said JMM, along with other opposition parties and legal experts, had raised questions over Kumar’s appointment as the Chief Election Commissioner.
Raising concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the JMM leader alleged large-scale changes in voter lists, centralisation of software and technical obstacles in adding the names of eligible voters.
“The electoral roll is not a favour granted by any government but the foundation of a citizen’s democratic right,” he said, adding that no eligible citizen should be deprived of the right to vote.
Pandey said JMM had questioned the process of SIR from the beginning and claimed that issues raised in Maharashtra, Bihar and West Bengal had further intensified concerns over the Election Commission’s role.
He alleged that lakhs of voters had been removed from electoral rolls under the SIR process in the three states and made a political allegation linking the exercise to the formation of BJP governments.
Pandey also questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were aware of the 14 objections raised by the Election Commissioners.
“Were the Prime Minister and the Home Minister aware of these objections? If they were, why was no action taken?” he asked.
He urged the Supreme Court to take immediate cognisance of the matter and said constitutional institutions must remain free from political influence.
“The Election Commission cannot be allowed to become a ‘one-man show’,” Pandey said, strongly demanding the removal of Gyanesh Kumar.
He added that the Election Commission belonged neither to any government nor to any individual, but to the Constitution and the country’s millions of voters.
