'Decision unanimous': EC counters report of internal differences over SIR

NEW DELHI: Although Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi flagged multiple issues over the pan-India Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, the poll panel was unanimous in its decisions related to the voter list purification drive, officials told news agency PTI.The clarification comes at a time when Indian Express claiming the contrary sparked a massive row. It claimed that the two Election Commissioners had objected to the Election Commission's steps 14 times in 10 months amid the SIR.EC sources also told PTI that all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including SIR, have been unanimous and with the approval of both Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.Responding to queries, officials said that the two commissioners had flagged decisions related to the deletion of names in various states during the voter roll cleanup and the handling of the voter database.Officials added that the law governing the functioning of the Election Commission and a Supreme Court judgment underline that, as much as possible, decisions should be taken unanimously and, if need be, the majority view should prevail.

Opposition slams CEC

Meanwhile, opposition sharpened its attack on the Election Commission over the SIR, claiming it was meant to target electors not aligned to the BJP and its allies.Urging the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognizance of the issue, several opposition parties attacked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and accused him of becoming a puppet of those in power.In a social media post, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the poll panel of hatching a conspiracy to "wipe out democracy.""This is an extremely serious news that in the past 10 months, 2 Election Commissioners have registered their objections 14 times against the Election Commission's wrong decisions," Akhilesh said."This directly means that all Election Commissioners are not able to perform their rightful duties. If the members of an independent body do not have the freedom to carry out just actions or if there is no hearing of theirs, then these are extremely fatal and dangerous circumstances for democracy.

For some people to betray democracy by becoming puppets of those in power is a grave constitutional crime. This is nothing less than a conspiracy to wipe out democracy," he added.Mamata Trinamool Congress (MTMC) also slammed CEC Kumar and said that the opposition should reintroduce the impeachment motion against Kumar in Parliament."Five months ago, more than 60 Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament... when only 50 were needed, wrote to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha moving a motion to remove the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, that was five months ago. Now today, after this big news break that two Election Commissioners objected to many of the CEC's actions, it's time to bring out the Rajya Sabha motion to impeach the CEC and save democracy," MTMC's Derek O' O'Brien said.The issue is likely to escalate further as leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been vehement in his criticism of the Election Commission and the SIR process, alleging that it has resulted in the denial of voting rights.