‘EC In Fingers Of These Taking Sides’: Opposition Responds To Ballot Physique Presser, BJP Hits Again

Final Up to date:August 18, 2025, 17:01 IST

The BJP, in the meantime, criticised the opposition’s disregard of the Election Fee’s feedback on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s vote theft allegations

Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, and SP chief Ramgopal Yadav throughout a press convention by INDIA bloc events on the Structure Membership in New Delhi on August 18. (Picture: ANI)

Amid studies that the opposition is contemplating transferring an impeachment discover in opposition to chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, INDIA bloc events on Monday got here down closely on the press convention held a day earlier than by the Election Fee of India.

The opposition events, led by the Congress, mentioned the Election Fee (EC) will not be appearing like an unbiased entity and is within the palms of officers who’re taking sides. The BJP, in the meantime, criticised the opposition’s disregard of the EC’s feedback on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s vote theft allegations.    

“The EC is within the palms of officers who’re taking sides; it’s not probing any costs made by the opposition,” mentioned Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi throughout a press convention held by the INDIA bloc in response to the EC’s presser.

“…In its press convention yesterday, the EC raised questions concerning the political events once they needed to clarify why they have been conducting SIR (particular intensive revision) in a rush. The EC was silent on SIR in Bihar. They have been additionally silent on how new 70 lakh voters have been added between Lok Sabha and Maharashtra meeting elections…it’s clear that EC is below such officers who aren’t unbiased,” Gogoi mentioned.

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Addressing a joint press convention after a gathering, representatives of eight distinguished opposition events just like the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Get together, DMK and RJD hit out on the chief election commissioner (CEC), alleging that as a substitute of responding to questions raised by them, he selected to assault them throughout his presser on Sunday (August 17).

WHAT DID THE OPPOSITION SAY?

Accusing CEC Gyanesh Kumar of appearing like a BJP spokesperson, the opposition events mentioned he did not reply their questions on the particular intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and points associated to voter checklist irregularities.

In the course of the press convention, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra termed the EC’s presser as a “shameful show of puppetry” and mentioned there needs to be motion in opposition to the EC over “fraudulent” voter lists.

“West Bengal CM raised situation of duplicate EPIC voter playing cards, however situation not resolved,” Moitra mentioned. “…Completely shameful show of puppetry by the Chief Election Commissioner on the press convention yesterday (August 17). The job of the Election Fee is to not assault the opposition. Mr Chief Election Commissioner, I’d urge you to return to your political masters….”

Samajwadi Get together chief Ramgopal Yadav mentioned it’s unsuitable of the EC to say that the opposition ranges costs with out details, and that no affidavits have been given.

“SP leaders gave an affidavit on elimination of 18,000 voters from electoral rolls in 2022 however no motion by EC,” Yadav mentioned. “Election Fee saying that baseless complaints being made is unsuitable…In UP (Uttar Pradesh), the method to chop votes has already began…all that is completed in a calculated method, and EC ignores our complaints. It is a critical situation.”

Gogoi mentioned the EC was silent on the difficulty of voter additions in Maharashtra, discrepancies in rolls in Mahadevapura (meeting phase below Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat), and video information deletion.

“The best to vote is a very powerful proper given by the Structure to a typical citizen. Democracy is determined by it. EC is the physique meant to guard it… However we are able to see that the CEC didn’t reply to the vital questions being raised by the political events, and is operating away from its duty,” he mentioned.

He reminded the EC that its constitutional obligation is to make sure free and truthful elections and claimed that the officers on the helm aren’t permitting an inquiry into the opposition’s allegations. He mentioned the CEC ought to have answered legitimate questions requested by the opposition.

“Quite the opposite, he raised questions on political events and attacked them. It will have been higher if they’d instructed why SIR was completed in such a rush, when elections are simply three months away, with out discussing with political events; why are they in a rush to announce SIR?” he requested.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Manoj Jha attacked the CEC, saying: “Yesterday we have been in search of our CEC, we discovered a brand new BJP spokesperson,” whereas Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena (UBT) additionally accused the CEC of “behaving like a BJP spokesperson”.

WHAT DID THE BJP SAY?

The BJP, in the meantime, mentioned the opposition had been triggered by the EC’s press convention. “The whole opposition ecosystem is buzzing like a bee in a bonnet after the Election Fee’s press convention. Pure schadenfreude,” mentioned BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya earlier than the opposition’s press convention.

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut accused Chief of Opposition within the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of insulting voters. She mentioned regardless of being reprimanded by the EC, the opposition was making a ruckus in Parliament over the Bihar particular intensive revision (SIR) train.

“Election Fee has reprimanded Rahul Gandhi, that he insulted folks and voters. Rahul Gandhi has dishonoured the voters he named. Regardless of such reprimanding, they (INDIA bloc MPs) did drama right here as we speak. So, you possibly can perceive that in the event that they don’t get energy, they might not let any work be completed. Once they had the chance, they did corruption. Now, when the nation is progressing, they’re unhappy. So, public is watching this and that’s they gained’t have the ability to win any election…” Ranaut mentioned.

Union Minister SP Singh Baghel mentioned it’s an insult to the Structure that the opposition desires to convey an impeachment discover in opposition to the CEC. “A number of vital payments have been alleged to be launched in monsoon session. However all of that fell sufferer to the ruckus. This occurred because of the opposition… No Election Fee can ever delete the identify of a legitimate voter… Opposition desires to make them residents of India by turning them into voters. If this occurs, the elections in democracy will get affected. If those that shouldn’t have the precise to vote change into voters it should have an effect on social concord in addition to the inner safety of the nation,” he mentioned.

BJP nationwide basic secretary Tarun Chugh mentioned: “Rahul Gandhi and Congress have repeatedly tried to defame democracy by mendacity. Rahul Gandhi is consistently pushing the boundaries of mendacity. The Election Fee’s clarification and details have uncovered Congress’s conspiracy. The reality has come to mild…”

WHAT DID THE EC SAY IN ITS SUNDAY PRESSER?

Addressing a press convention, CEC Gynaesh Kumar mentioned the Bihar SIR is aimed toward eradicating all shortcomings in voter lists and that it’s a matter of grave concern that some events are spreading misinformation about it, firing from the EC’s shoulder.

Kumar rejected as “baseless” the allegations of double voting and “vote theft” and asserted that each one stakeholders are working to make SIR successful in a clear method.

(With company inputs)

Oindrila Mukherjee

Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking information desks. Her 9 years of expertise in print and digital journalism vary from modifying and reporting to writing impactful st…Learn Extra

Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking information desks. Her 9 years of expertise in print and digital journalism vary from modifying and reporting to writing impactful st… Learn Extra

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