Assam CM Backs Gyanesh Kumar: ‘Targeting CEC Shows Opposition Desperation’
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma defended CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid allegations of unilateral decisions, while the ECI rejected concerns over its functioning.
By Pranjal Gupta
New Delhi, September 24: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday dismissed allegations that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had disregarded suggestions from the other Election Commissioners, saying that targeting him “reflects the desperation of the Opposition and the Dimagi Naxals”.
The Assam CM addressed the press on Wednesday, a day after allegations emerged that Gyanesh Kumar had taken unilateral decisions. He stressed that the Election Commission cannot take decisions based solely on the view of the Chief Election Commissioner when the other Election Commissioners hold a different position.
A report by The Indian Express on Tuesday revealed that the other two Election Commissioners - Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi - had objected at least 14 times over the last 10 months to crucial decisions related to voter additions, mass deletions, software accessibility and court appeals.
According to the report, the decisions were issued unilaterally, without the prior knowledge, input or formal consent of the other commissioners.
“Decisions made prior to deliberations are a different matter, but any decision by the Election Commission is taken only through consensus or a majority view. That is why targeting the Chief Election Commissioner is a political campaign; I do not believe the Chief Election Commissioner can take any decision without consulting the other Election Commissioners,” said the Assam CM during the media conference.
“Thus, targeting the Chief Election Commissioner merely reflects the desperation of the Opposition and the Dimagi Naxals,” he added.
Assam SR in Radar
Amid questions over the functioning of the ECI, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Special Revision (SR) exercises in Assam have taken centre stage.
While Assam did not undergo SIR, it conducted an SR, with the state government arguing that the exercise would remove voters who had “shifted”, died or were foreigners.
Opposition parties and civil society groups, however, alleged that Form 7, which is used to seek deletion of a voter's name, was being “misused” and submitted in bulk to target Bengali-speaking Muslims.
“There is no debate over SR. Which Hindu family has received a notice? Which Assamese Muslim household has seen a notice? We have to issue notices to ‘Miyas’ living here. There is nothing to hide. I am troubling them,” Sarma had said when the issue escalated.
'Holding Different Views is Normal': EC
Earlier on Wednesday, the Election Commission acknowledged the media report and asserted that differences of opinion and observations during deliberations are normal in any institution. It added that all its decisions are legally sanctioned and taken through established statutory procedures.
The poll panel further said that not only the other two Election Commissioners, but every officer in the Election Commission, is authorised to share their opinions and ideas.
