New Delhi: The opposition INDIA bloc has written to Chief Justice of India Suryakant alleging “large-scale malpractice” in the country’s election processes and warning that a lack of judicial intervention could harm the Republic.
In the letter, parties including the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party claimed the Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, is acting in a manner that openly favours the ruling BJP. They alleged that while violations of the Model Code of Conduct by the BJP are ignored, the opposition is selectively targeted.
The bloc also criticised the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling it unnecessary and “disastrous”. It alleged that, under the pretext of document verification, voters’ citizenship was questioned and about 25 lakh names were removed from voter lists.
The letter further claimed that elections held in states such as Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra did not reflect the people’s true mandate and said it suspects irregularities. It also stated that it has no confidence in the functioning of electronic voting machines.
According to the report, representatives of 23 parties and one Independent MP signed the letter. It also said the DMK, which had kept some distance from the INDIA bloc after the Tamil Nadu Assembly election results, signed the letter after insistence from multiple parties.
