'We were searching for CEC but found a new BJP spokesperson': Opposition attacks poll body chief over SIR again

Congress, TMC, SP, DMK and RJD hit out at the CEC, alleging that instead of responding to questions raised by them, he chose to attack them at his presser on Sunday.

New Delhi: Opposition on Monday claimed that the Election Commission has "completely failed" to discharge its Constitutional duty of ensuring a free and fair electoral system in the country and those who lead the poll body "intimidate" those who challenge the ruling BJP and seek a "meaningful inquiry into voter fraud".

Leaders alleged that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was acting like a BJP spokesperson and did not answer any questions, during a press conference he held on Sunday, related to the Special Intensive Revision and allegations of voter theft.

In a joint statement, 20 I.N.D.I.A parties said the CEC offered no clarifications or comment on the allegations made Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on the "voter fraud unearthed in Mahadevapura, except to reiterate his "legally infirm" demand for the data to be placed on an affidavit.

"It has now become clear that the EC is not being led by officers who can ensure a level playing field. To the contrary, it is now clear that those who lead the ECI divert and thwart any attempt at a meaningful inquiry into voter fraud and instead opt to intimidate those who challenge the ruling party. This is a serious indictment," the joint statement.

It said the CEC offered no comment or clarification on why the Bihar SIR was being conducted in such a "hasty, ill-prepared and ad-hoc manner".

Addressing a joint press conference where the joint statement, Senior RJD MP Manoj K Jha said, "yesterday we were looking for our CEC, we found a new BJP spokesperson". Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha floor leader Arvind Sawant also accused the CEC of "behaving like a BJP spokesperson".

As the CEC attacked the Opposition, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said, "your job is not to attack the Opposition. Leave that to your political masters."

Congress Lok Sabha Deputy Leader Gaurav Gogoi said the EC was "silent" on allegations on Maharashtra elections and Mahadevapura, why the rule made to delete CCTV footage of polling process after 45 days and why machine-readable voters' list is not made available.

"The right to vote is the most important right given by the Constitution to a common citizen. Democracy depends on it. EC is the body meant to protect it... But we can see that the CEC did not reply to the important questions being raised by the political parties, and is running away from its responsibility," Gogoi said.

Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav said that the EC is asking Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to give an affidavit with his complaint but his party had submitted affidavits with complaints of around 18,000 voters being removed from the list in 2022. "When Akhilesh Yadav said names of SP supporters have been removed from the voter list, we gave affidavits, but no action has been taken," he said.