Kolkata, Sep 23 (IANS): The politburo of the CPI(M) on Wednesday issued a statement claiming that following explosive revelations by a media house surrounding the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, not just the exercise but the integrity of the Election Commission of India (ECI) had come under serious question.
The statement further observed that the ECI needed reforms, considering the current Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar had no moral right to continue in office.
“The disclosures have only strengthened suspicions and concerns that the CPI(M), other opposition parties and civil society organisations have all along raised since the SIR process was initiated. Reports indicate that two out of the three Election Commissioners recorded objections to several decisions relating to electoral-roll revision and the SIR process. According to the law, all three Election Commissioners are equal, and any difference should be settled by majority or unanimity. The CEC did not follow this rule but imposed his views without caring for the objections raised by his colleagues. Significantly, these differences concern fundamental questions about how voters are being added or removed from the rolls and how the SIR is being implemented,” the statement read.
Quoting the media report, the CPI(M) politburo claimed that the CEC had falsely maintained that the SIR process was transparent and decentralised.
“It is now clear that over the past few months the entire system has been centralised to the extent that it obscures who is actually taking decisions. The Supreme Court has also flagged the over-reliance on technology and the ‘mechanical’ issuance of notices,” the statement added.
The CPI(M) leadership said the issues raised by the two Election Commissioners went beyond the SIR process, touching on institutional integrity, the democratic functioning of the ECI, transparency in the electoral process, over-centralisation, and the protection of universal adult franchise.
“The credibility of the Election Commission as an unbiased institution is at stake. People have lost confidence in a compromised Election Commission, for which CEC Gyanesh Kumar should be held accountable. He cannot continue in office any longer,” the politburo stated.
Besides demanding an immediate halt to the SIR process, the CPI(M) politburo said it should restore the integrity and democratic functioning of the ECI.
“Transparency in the appointment of Election Commissioners has to be ensured by scrapping the concerned legislation and enacting a new one by accepting the Supreme Court guidelines for a selection committee composed of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Chief Justice of India,” the statement read.
