Stories
ECI Clarifies Opposition Protest Standoff Over Meeting Request
- •The Election Commission of India stated that no political party sought an appointment before 4 PM prior to the opposition protest.
- •Congress later requested a meeting for 240 Opposition MPs at the Parliament House Annexe instead of the ECI premises.
- •The poll panel insisted that meetings must follow established protocol and be held at the official ECI premises.
- •ECI offered to send a senior official to receive the memorandum, but the offer was declined by the opposition.
- •Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders staged a prolonged protest at Akashvani Bhawan and were later detained by Delhi Police.
Key Questions Answered
The ECI stated that no party had sought an appointment before 4 PM, after which Congress requested a meeting for 240 Opposition MPs at the Parliament House Annexe. The poll panel emphasized that such meetings must follow established protocols and be held at the ECI premises, while its offer to send a senior official to collect the memorandum was declined.
The standoff intensified as opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, staged a prolonged protest at Akashvani Bhawan before being subsequently detained by the Delhi Police.
The ECI clarified that all three commissioners were present at its meeting and that decisions concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls were taken with the consensus of the full Commission. The poll body defended its multi-member constitutional framework, asserting that differing views and internal notes during deliberations are a normal administrative part of its functioning.
