The political debate over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has intensified, with BJP leader Prakash Reddy defending the functioning of the Election Commission of India and criticising Opposition parties for their recent remarks against the poll panel.
Speaking to ANI in Hyderabad on September 28, Reddy said political parties have the right to raise their concerns and discuss issues related to the electoral process. However, he argued that criticism should not undermine the functioning of constitutional institutions.
Reddy said political institutions and constitutional bodies have an important role in the democratic system. He argued that individuals should not be treated as more important than institutions and urged political parties to allow constitutional bodies to carry out their responsibilities.
His comments came amid an ongoing political dispute over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The SIR exercise has become a major point of discussion among several Opposition parties, which have raised questions about the functioning of the Election Commission and the process being followed for revision of electoral rolls.
Reddy also rejected suggestions that there was a serious disagreement among the Election Commissioners over the SIR process and other electoral decisions. Referring to reports about differences within the Commission, he said the three Election Commissioners have equal rights in the decision making process.
The BJP leader also questioned the interpretation of a recent report concerning alleged differences among Election Commissioners. He described the report as based on assumptions and said the functioning of the Commission should be understood through its official decisions.
The Election Commission has separately rejected the suggestion that questions or objections raised during the administrative process amounted to institutional disagreement over its final decisions. According to the poll panel, operational queries, suggestions and inputs can arise during the preparation and implementation of decisions and form part of the normal administrative process.
The Commission has maintained that decisions relating to the Special Intensive Revision were taken with the approval of all three Election Commissioners. This position has been reiterated amid reports about differences over certain electoral matters.
The controversy gained further attention after an Indian Express report claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on several occasions over a period of about 10 months concerning decisions and orders connected with the SIR process and other electoral issues. The reported matters included questions concerning Form 6, voter deletions and access to electoral roll databases.
The Election Commission, however, has said that such inputs and queries should not be interpreted as evidence of institutional dissent over final decisions. The poll body has maintained that its decisions, including those concerning the SIR schedule, received unanimous approval.
The SIR process involves the detailed revision and verification of electoral rolls. Such exercises can involve checking voter information, addressing discrepancies and updating electoral records according to the applicable procedures. The process has drawn political attention because of its potential impact on electoral rolls and voter registration.
Opposition parties have continued to raise concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission and the implementation of the SIR exercise. Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India Marxist, Trinamool Congress and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, have called for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to the ANI report.
The Opposition parties have maintained that their concerns relate to the electoral process and the functioning of the poll panel. Their criticism has added to the wider political debate over transparency, electoral roll revision and the role of constitutional institutions.
Meanwhile, CPI Marxist Leninist Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya has said that an INDIA bloc meeting is expected to take place on September 30 to discuss the SIR exercise and issues concerning the Election Commission. He has also suggested that the proposed discussion should not necessarily be limited to members of the bloc.
The latest developments highlight the continuing political disagreement over the electoral roll revision process. While Opposition parties are raising questions about the process and the functioning of the Election Commission, the BJP has defended the poll panel and argued that constitutional institutions should be allowed to perform their responsibilities.
The Election Commission, for its part, has maintained that its decisions are taken through the Commission's established decision making process and that the reported administrative queries should not be treated as evidence of disagreement over final decisions.
The issue is therefore expected to remain a significant part of the political debate as Opposition parties prepare for further discussions on the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission.
