Stories
BJP Cites '14 Correspondences' to Defend ECI in SIR Row, Slams Opposition
- •BJP MP Sambit Patra defended the Election Commission of India's functioning amidst the ongoing ECI-SIR controversy.
- •Patra highlighted 14 instances of correspondence between the three Election Commissioners as proof of official deliberation.
- •He criticized opposition parties for questioning the independence of constitutional institutions during the SIR and electoral-roll row.
Key Questions Answered
BJP MP Sambit Patra cited 14 instances of correspondence between the three Election Commissioners as evidence of official deliberation and consultation within the poll body. He defended the institution against opposition criticism and argued that internal discussions demonstrate a healthy democracy rather than a dictatorship.
Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over a ten-month period regarding decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision process. These concerns involved voter registration procedures, database access, deletions and restorations, and IT systems.
The Election Commission has maintained that all decisions, including those related to the Special Intensive Revision process, were ultimately approved unanimously by all three commissioners. The poll panel rejected reports of internal discord, stating that the measures had complete consensus.
