The Opposition continued to mount pressure on the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday, with members staging a protest inside and outside Parliament for the fourth straight day, demanding accountability over the ongoing revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.
Accusing the Commission of functioning in a partisan manner, senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, made a scathing statement, asserting that the poll body would not be allowed to “get away” with its alleged irregularities.
Calling the issue “very serious,” Rahul Gandhi, speaking to the media at Parliament, alleged that the Election Commission was failing in its constitutional duties.
“The Election Commission is not functioning as an independent institution. They’ve issued some statements today… but frankly, it’s all nonsense. We now have 100% concrete proof that cheating was permitted in a particular constituency in Karnataka,” Gandhi declared.
He elaborated that while they had examined just one constituency, the findings pointed to systemic irregularities across the board.
“What we uncovered was shocking — thousands of new voters were added, many of them mysteriously aged 45, 50, 60, or even 65. Voter deletions and additions are being manipulated. These are people who are ineligible or are being brought in to rig the system.”
Sending a strong message to the Election Commission, Gandhi warned: “If you think this is going to go unnoticed, you’re wrong. And if your officers think they can escape responsibility, they’re also mistaken. We are going to come for you. You will be held accountable.”
Inside Parliament, proceedings in the Lok Sabha were once again adjourned until 2 PM due to the loud protests from the Opposition benches, who continued to demand answers and action regarding the alleged electoral manipulation.
Earlier in the day, key opposition leaders from various INDIA bloc parties, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, participated in a major protest on the Parliament premises.
Holding banners and raising slogans, the leaders called out the ECI’s move to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, terming it a “direct attack on democracy.”
Gathering outside the Makar Dwar of Parliament, the protest saw participation from prominent leaders such as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K.C. Venugopal, DMK’s A. Raja, TMC’s Kirti Azad, Samajwadi Party’s Ziaur Rahman Barq, and representatives from RJD, JMM, and various Left parties.
The opposition leaders raised slogans like “Save Democracy” and “Stop Vote-Bandi”, emphasizing their united stance against what they describe as “politically motivated voter suppression.”
A large banner displayed during the protest read: “SIR – Loktantra par Vaar” (SIR – An Attack on Democracy), underlining their claim that the voter roll revision exercise was an attempt to disenfranchise sections of the electorate, particularly in Bihar, where Assembly elections are around the corner.
Despite the uproar, the Election Commission has defended its move, submitting an affidavit to the Supreme Court in response to a petition challenging its June 24 directive on conducting SIR of electoral rolls across the country, beginning with Bihar.
In its affidavit, the Commission stated that documents such as Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards were being considered strictly for the “limited purpose of identity verification.”
The ECI argued that the SIR process aims to enhance the integrity of the electoral system by weeding out ineligible voters, thereby contributing to the “purity of elections.”
The issue remains far from resolved as the Opposition demands a full rollback of the revision process and a transparent discussion in both Houses of Parliament.
Meanwhile, with Bihar gearing up for elections, the political temperature continues to rise, and the role of the Election Commission has come under unprecedented scrutiny.
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