BJP also requested ECI take stringent action against those responsible against the systematic attempts to undermine the electoral process and issue a public statement affirming the integrity of India’s electoral process…reports Asian Lite News
A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called upon the Election Commission of India and raised concerns over repeated attempts by a “certain section” who are trying to “undermine” the integrity of India’s electoral process.
They also urged the ECI to take a few steps to ensure the safety and security of the electoral process and be fully conversant with the minutest details of the prescribed process.
The delegation of BJP leaders, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, met with the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners.
Speaking to the reporters, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, “Today a delegation of BJP led by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners to demand and urge them to take 4 important steps.”
“First, is that we have requested EC every official engaged in the counting process be fully conversant with the minutest details of the prescribed process and engage diligently with all EC protocols,” Goyal said.
BJP also requested ECI take stringent action against those responsible against the systematic attempts to undermine the electoral process and issue a public statement affirming the integrity of India’s electoral process.
“Second, to ensure safety and security of the electoral process during the counting and announcement of results, including enhanced monitoring and security measures to prevent any attempts of violence and unrest,” the Union Minister said.
“Third, to take cognisance of the systematic attempts to undermine the electoral process and take stringent action against those responsible. Fourth, issue a public statement affirming the integrity of the electoral process and warning against any attempt to disrupt the democratic process,” he added.
The Union Minister, who is also BJP’s candidate from Mumbai North said they had to call upon the ECI in light of the repeated attempts against India’s robust electoral process and termed it a “direct attack” on our democratic institutions.
He added that India is proud of its “robust, transparent and high-integrity” electoral process.
“We had to call upon ECI today, in light of the repeated attempts by a section of the political parties led by the Indian National Congress and their INDI alliance partners and certain motivated civil society groups and NGOs who are trying their level best to undermine the integrity of India’s electoral process. Their efforts against India’s robust electoral process are a direct attack on our democratic institutions and pose a threat to public order and trust in our electoral system,” Goyal said.
“We Indians are extremely proud that for 30 years, we have had an unblemished track record, in which elections are held in a free and fair manner, orderly manner and the world today looks upon the Indian electoral system as a very robust, transparent and high-integrity election system,” he added.
Piyush Goyal added that a certain section of people, including the Opposition are not able to digest the expected mandate for BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and they can’t expect a leader like Prime Minister Modi to take India to greater heights.
“I think the mandate given by the people of 2014 and 2019 and the likely mandate in 2024 expected on June 4 has unnerved the Opposition, some NGOs and so-called civil society groups, who cannot expect a leader of the masses, a leader who has delivered for 1.4 billion people, who is seen to take India to greater heights who is preparing to make India a developed nation. That leadership is unacceptable to certain people, certain sections of society…continuously coming out with a toolkit to undermine our institutions, be it the Supreme Court of India, regulatory bodies or the Election Commission of India,” Goyal further stated.
The Lok Sabha elections for 543 members of the lower house took place across seven phases. The counting is scheduled on June 4. (ANI)
INDIA bloc urges EC to count postal ballots first
A delegation of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders met with the Election Commission of India to discuss issues related to the counting of votes.
In their meeting with the poll body, the INDIA bloc said that ECI should clear, detailed guidelines for the counting process on June 4.
Other demands, as stated by INDIA bloc, were clarification on counting postal ballots first as per Conduct of Election Rules 1961, ensuring CCTV-monitored safe movement of Control Units, verify date/time on Control Units and confirm voting start/end times, specify slips, tags, and details for counting agents; Display poll date, candidates, and total votes before candidate-wise results and avoid rushing; allow agents to record results before proceeding. Strengthen transparency and faith in the electoral process.
Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “The vital importance of counting postal ballots first, and declaring the results of postal ballots first. This is very clearly stated in the statutory rule. This has been understood by the Election Commission over the years. Our complaint is that this statutory rule of this 2019 guideline has been given goodbye. The Election Commission has repealed this 2019 practice. The net result is that by method of practice, EVMs can be counted and if EVMs counting gets over before the postal ballot, it will still be completed. In other words, the postal ballot counting and results need not be declared first. This is the main complaint.”
Singhvi said that ECI heard them patiently. “We are awaiting strong action,” he said.
Sitaram Yechury also said that postal ballots should be counted first on the counting day.
“The demands were that until the 2019 election, the procedure and the law were that first the postal ballots would be counted and announced, and after that, the EVM counting would begin. We are saying that it should be followed,” Yechury told ANI.
After the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections concluded on Saturday, marking the end of the world’s largest polling exercise that began on April 19, Congress leader Ajay Maken flagged the new rule that candidates’ counting agents are not allowed at the Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) tables during the vote counting process on June 4.
Calling it an issue “bigger than the alleged EVM rigging,” the Congress leader urged the Election Commission of India to address it.”Candidate’s Counting Agents’ at the ARO table are NOT being allowed for the first time!!! I have contested 9 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in the past- And this is happening for the first time. If true, this is bigger than the alleged EVM rigging! I am flagging this issue for all candidates! I hope @ECISVEEP rectifies it soon,” Maken posted on X.
However, the Chief Election Officer of Delhi clarified that the counting agents of candidates are allowed at the tables of RO and AROs.”It is clarified that Counting Agents of Candidates are allowed at the tables of RO/AROs,” the Chief Election Officer, Delhi Office posted on X.
The voting for the marathon seven-phase polling process for the Lok Sabha elections, which began on April 19, came to an end on Saturday (June 1).
The seventh and final phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on June 1 across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh saw an approximate voter turnout of 62.36 per cent as per the latest trends, the Election Commission (ECI) said on Saturday.
The exit polls predicted that the ruling BJP-led NDA is poised to improve its performance over its 2019 record when it won 352 seats. Two polls predicted the BJP also improving its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.The Narendra Modi-led BJP is seeking a third term in power, while the opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to wrest power by stopping the juggernaut. (ANI)
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