New Delhi, Delhi
Amid the ongoing controversy over alleged differences among Election Commission officials, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has defended the poll panel. BJP MP and senior party leader Sambit Patra said that official exchanges of views and discussions among the three Election Commissioners are a sign of a healthy democracy. He also accused the Congress and other opposition parties of targeting constitutional institutions.
Three Election Commissioners Held 14 Official Discussions
Addressing a press conference, Sambit Patra referred to a press note issued by the Election Commission. He said that according to the note, the three Election Commissioners had held official discussions on 14 occasions.
Patra clarified that he was not holding a press conference on behalf of the Election Commission but was referring to a document issued by the poll panel. According to him, the discussions among the Election Commissioners show that they shared their views on various issues and consulted each other.
‘Such Discussions Are a Sign of a Healthy Democracy’
The BJP leader said that official discussions among the three Election Commissioners are not unusual. He described them as a natural part of a democratic system, saying that consultation and dialogue within the Commission are part of institutional functioning.
Taking a dig at the opposition, Patra said that if officials of a constitutional institution do not communicate with each other, share their views, or simply follow one another’s decisions, the opposition could still portray that situation negatively.
Opposition Accused of Targeting Constitutional Institutions
Sambit Patra alleged that opposition parties have repeatedly questioned the functioning of the Election Commission. He said that even when the three Election Commissioners appear to agree on an issue, the opposition raises questions, and when information about discussions among them emerges, questions are raised again.
He also questioned the opposition’s stance regarding the independent role of Election Commission officials and their decision-making process. According to Patra, turning the functioning of constitutional institutions into a political controversy is not appropriate for democratic institutions.
BJP Says Election Commission Now Being Targeted After Media
The BJP leader also referred to terms such as ‘Godi Media’, which opposition parties often use for sections of the media. He alleged that similar accusations are now being directed at a constitutional institution such as the Election Commission.
The BJP’s response came after a media report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised concerns over several issues, including the deletion of names from electoral rolls, during the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists across the country.
Amid the controversy, the BJP has described internal discussions within the Election Commission as a normal institutional process. At the same time, questions raised by the opposition have intensified the political debate over the Commission’s decision-making process and issues related to electoral rolls.
