30 or 300? No end to standoff as Opposition, Election Commission stand ground over members in SIR delegation

While the Election Commission claimed the Opposition had agreed to a 30-member delegation, Opposition leaders insisted their original request was for all MPs to meet collectively, a disagreement that stalled any face-to-face talks.

MPs of Opposition protesting against Election Commission.

Credit: PTI Photo

New Delhi: Opposition leaders on Monday refused to meet the Election Commission, claiming the poll body wanted "just a delegation" of 30 leaders to meet it after its march to the Nirvachan Sadan, while it wanted all its MPs to collectively hand over a memorandum.

EC sources, however, said the Opposition went back on its word after initially acknowledging the invitation for 30 MPs to meet the EC.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh had written on Sunday to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and two other Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, seeking an appointment for the MPs participating in a peaceful march to meet them and hand over a memorandum.

He said the MPs would be marching to the EC and thereafter wished to collectively meet the Commission on a host of issues, including but not limited to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar and other states.

Later on Sunday, the EC responded, saying the meeting could take place at the Sukumar Sen Hall in the EC at 12 noon on Monday and asked Ramesh to provide the names of 30 persons along with vehicle numbers due to space limitations.

While the march of around 300 MPs was underway, Ramesh posted his letter to the EC on ‘X’ and said, "here is our original request to the ECI. It is for the Opposition MPs to collectively hand over a memorandum and not for just a delegation."

EC sources then said Ramesh had acknowledged the invitation for 30 MPs but had changed his tone. Ramesh said that out of basic courtesy, he replied to the email with the words "many thanks."