Surprised EC ignored complaints raised by Opposition: Kharge

Congress stands for the strength and independence of the poll panel, says Mallikarjun Kharge, in a letter to the Election Commission

Responding to the Election Commission’s (EC) rebuttal, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said in a letter to the EC that the Congress was on its side and it was for the o©cials of the EC to now decide where they stood.

The EC on Friday issued a public rebuttal to a letter written by Mr. Kharge to his colleagues in the INDIA bloc on the alleged “discrepancies in the voting data” released by the election panel, calling it an “attempt to push a biased narrative under the guise of seeking clari…cations”.

He said it was “surprising” that the EC chose to respond to a letter addressed to “alliance partners” and not to the Commission while ignoring several other complaints given directly to it. He also stated that while he had “misgivings” about the language of the EC’s letter, he would not press on with the issue. “The letter on one hand says the EC respects citizen’s rights to ask questions and on the other hand threatens citizens in the form of an advise to exercise caution,” he said.

‘Puzzling’ response

Mr. Kharge said that he was happy that the EC understood that it had the mandate to conduct smooth, free, and fair elections under the Constitution, yet he found the “lack of urgency” in taking action against “blatantly communal and casteist statements” made by the the ruling party leaders “puzzling”.

Equally surprising, even though factually correct, Mr. Kharge said, was the EC’s comment that it was not “legally bound to publish any voter turnout data at aggregate level of a constituency or State”.

“Many voters who are deeply interested in the election would also like to see the absolute number of votes polled to be put out in the public domain by the EC directly,” Mr. Kharge noted.

Expressing disappointment that in the rebuttal, the EC failed to make any assurance that it would work to “safeguard democracy” and “protect” their own independent functioning, he said, “To make it more clear, the Congress party is on the side of the Commission and stands for the strength and independence of the Commission. The o©cials of the Commission should now decide where they stand.”

Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi accepted an invitation by two prominent jurists and a senior editor to participate in a public debate.

Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur, former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Ajit P. Shah, and former Editorin-Chief of The Hindu N. Ram had on May 9 invited Mr. Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a public debate that would be “on a non-partisan and non-commercial platform”.

Mr. Gandhi wrote in the letter, a copy of which was released by the party on Saturday, that either he or Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge would attend the debate, and that he had discussed the invitation with Mr. Kharge before responding to the invitation. “As the principal parties …ghting the election, the public deserves to hear from their leaders directly,” Mr. Gandhi’s response reads. “Please do let us know if and when the Prime Minister agrees to participate, following which we can discuss the details and format of the debate.”

The invitation left the option open to both leaders

The letter on one hand says the EC respects citizen’s rights to ask questions and on the other hand threatens citizens in the form of an advise to exercise caution

Congress president

to nominate a representative for the debate, “only if either of [them] is unable to” attend.

Healthy democracy

The invitation cited “important questions to the core of our constitutional democracy”, and raised concerns that “we have heard only allegations and challenges from either side, and not heard any meaningful responses”.

A debate would be healthy for Indian democracy, the invitation stated.

Mr. Modi and the spokespersons for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not immediately comment on Saturday evening on Mr. Gandhi’s willingness to participate in the debate.

Mr. Gandhi had earlier indicated his “100%” readiness to debate Mr. Modi while speaking at an event in Lucknow on Friday, but added that “I know the Prime Minister will not debate with me”.