New Delhi: Amid the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, and allegation of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft), Congress MP Manish Tewari alleged that there are “many people in this country who donot trust” the Election Commission even today.
On the issue of Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and ‘Vote Chori’, Congress MP Manish Tewari told ANI, “The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and both Leaders of the Opposition should be there in a committee to select the 3 Election Commissioners, to regain its lost credibility…”
He alleged, “The Election Commission has lost the trust of its very substantial shareholders. Unfortunately, many people in this country do not trust the Election Commission today”.
The senior Congress leader also shed light on the issue of Electronic Voting Machines and questioned the silence of the poll body over the issue.
“This did not start with SIR. It started with EVMs and the alleged rigging. In the Haryana elections, the machines were used the whole day. They were locked in the strong room for three days. When they were taken out, the battery was at 99%. Even an iPad at 100% at night becomes 80% in the morning… To date, the Election Commission has not been able to answer that an EVM was switched on at 6 am, mock testing was done, then it ran from 8 to 6 and then was switched off. It was kept in the strong room for three days. How can it have a 99% battery?… So why does the Election Commission not answer this?,” he added.
He raised suspicions over the SIR being held ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar.
“There is no provision for Special Intensive Revision anywhere in the Constitution…The way this review is being done in a hurry, two months before the Bihar elections…it becomes suspicious… The process, under which the top officials of the Election Commission are identified, nominated, and registered, should be changed. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the PM and the HM should be there in it. Both the Leaders of the Opposition should be there… If such a committee selects the 3 Election Commissioners, then this lost credibility will be regained….” he remarked.
Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar refuted all the recent “vote theft” claims made by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on the Election Commission of India (ECI).
“An affidavit will have to be given or an apology should be made to the country. Teesra koi vikalp nahi (There is no third option.) If the affidavit is not received within seven days, it means that all these allegations are baseless.” CEC Gyanesh Kumar told reporters earlier.
The 16-day ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar led by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav aims to raise awareness about alleged irregularities in the voter list, which opposition leaders have termed a case of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft).
Covering over 1,300 km across 20 districts, the yatra is scheduled to conclude in Patna on September 1.
Bihar Assembly elections are expected later this year, although the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced an official date.
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