Sachin Pilot accuses India’s election chief of weakening commission
Congress leader Sachin Pilot has accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of undermining the Election Commission’s independence during the revision of electoral rolls. Pilot alleged that other commissioners were sidelined and that voters were being selectively removed, while the source material records no response from Kumar or the commission to the claims.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot has accused India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, of undermining the independence of the Election Commission during the revision of electoral rolls. Speaking to reporters in Jaipur on Sunday, Pilot alleged that Kumar had sidelined the other two election commissioners while taking decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. He demanded action against the chief election commissioner.
Pilot said the commission has three members and that decisions should be taken unanimously or by majority. He alleged that Kumar had begun the process independently and that powers normally exercised by local Electoral Registration Officers were being centralised. The Congress leader further claimed that voters were being added or removed from Delhi and that about 13 crore names had been deleted from electoral rolls across India.
He alleged that voters in Haryana, Bihar and West Bengal were being selectively targeted. The source material does not provide independent verification of these claims or a response from the Election Commission. Pilot said public confidence in the commission as an impartial constitutional institution had been damaged.
He described voting as a fundamental democratic right and warned that removing that right would be a serious matter. He also criticised the Rajasthan government over drought-like conditions, alleging that it had failed to prepare despite deficient monsoon rainfall in several areas. Pilot said earlier planning could have provided relief and reduced the seriousness of the situation.
Pilot accused the government of focusing on elections rather than rainfall-related problems and alleged that police and administrative machinery had been misused during urban local body elections. He also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab over alleged deterioration in law and order and increased drug abuse. He expressed confidence that Congress would win the next Punjab election and said he would present his position on a show-cause notice issued to former Rajasthan minister Vishvendra Singh.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.