Modi, Shah want ECI as ‘rubber stamp’ to remain in power: Kharge at INDIA bloc meet

Dear friends and valued Colleagues,

India is the world’s largest democracy and a nation whose democratic traditions have been built on a simple but profound principle: every citizen must have an equal voice in choosing the government of this country. This is the bedrock of India’s democratic polity.

Members of the Constituent Assembly – the framers of India’s Constitution in their collective wisdom underscored the importance of ‘representativeness’ of our democracy. Hence, they very well asserted that democracy has meaning only when the vote of every eligible citizen carries equal value. That is why the principle of one person, one vote, one value lies at the heart of our Republic.

Today, that principle is facing a serious threat.

Across the country, citizens and political parties are raising grave concerns about functioning of the Election Commission.

For years, we have demanded answers on EVMs. We have raised questions about voter-list manipulation and unexplained changes in electoral rolls. Rahul ji showed it with proof that it was done in Mahadevpura, Aland, Haryana and Maharashtra. In the same manner parties of the INDIA group all raised questions and objections in this regard. But alas all in vain.

Instead of acknowledging our complaints the Commission looked the other way. In a democracy, institutions must earn public trust through transparency.

Once cornered by enough data and proof given by us, the Election Commission resorted to SIR. The Election Commission says that Special Intensive Revision is intended to clean and update electoral rolls. But when such an exercise can result in very large numbers of voters being excluded or required to establish their eligibility again, the burden must be on the System to ensure that no genuine voter is disenfranchised.

It is shocking that as many as 13.3 Crore voters have blatantly been removed from voter list . Their power to take part in a DEMOCRACY has been snatched.

It is ordinary voters who should be deciding who comes to power rather than those who are in power.

So our position must be unequivocal: No genuine Indian citizen should be forced out of the electoral process through an opaque, arbitrary or inadequately supervised exercise.

If names are deleted, we must know who was deleted. We must also know why.

There can be no credible election without an Independent and impartial Election Commission as envisioned in Article 324 of the Constitution.

Today our Chief Election Commissioner stands totally exposed. His two fellow members have written 14 times in 10 months! It questions his very integrity and intentions. Therefore, he should be removed from his position. If he has even an iota of Constitutional or moral shame left in him, he will resign himself and turn approver against the powers who are interfering in our ELECTORAL ROLLS!

Now we know why the PM brought the ‘Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023’, to remove CJI from the selection panel of the Election Commission and instead replaced by a Minister. Further, it has been provided in that Bill (which has now become an Act) that “notwithstanding other laws, no court could entertain or continue civil or criminal proceedings against a person who was or had been CEC/EC for an act, thing, or word committed, done, or spoken while discharging official duty or function.” Thus a blanket immunity for life had been provided to CEC /EC. Because PM Modi and Amit Shah want a rubber stamp who can help them remain in power. In fact they are the real culprits. They broke several parties and election commission’s role has been more of a facilitator rather than an impartial arbitrator.

In this context I also wish to draw attention to Supreme Court’s observation that “the inclusion of a cabinet minister in the selection committee fails to provide the independent counterweight that a neutral selector could, and the cabinet minister would merely echo the voice of his leader, and consequently, the presence of the leader of opposition in the selection committee becomes largely ornamental without furthering the purpose of his inclusion” … It emphasized that “It is not enough for the ECI to be independent; it must also appear to be independent.”

Today we must also speak about our young voters. India has one of the world’s largest young populations. Millions of young Indians become eligible to vote every year.

By changing the rules in form 6 for enrolling for the first-time-voters by the Election Commission, the youngsters are deliberately being discouraged from voting.

Our message to them must be: India wants your voice. India needs your vote. Your citizenship gives you that right. Let your voice be heard.

Any new procedural requirement that creates unnecessary barriers for first-time voters must therefore be immediately removed.

On EVMs, our position should also be clear. These are machines that BJP decides to use as per its needs, in Rahul Ji’s words- to win, get a hung house or lose an election. So we cannot allow them to use these machines any further, we must go back to Ballot votes to restore faith and confidence in India’s election system.

The INDIA parties must stand together when the fundamental democratic right of citizens is at stake. We should therefore leave this meeting with a clear programme of action.

We should demand :-

First, the pre-SIR electoral roll to be used for future elections. Complete transparency in every electoral-roll revision, including constituency-wise and booth-wise information on additions, deletions and corrections.

Second, due notice, reasons and an effective appeal mechanism before any legitimate voter is removed from the roll.

Third, protection of eligible voters from exclusion caused by administrative failures, inadequate documentation or lack of awareness.

Fourth, Voting through Ballots instead of EVMs.

Fifth, simple and accessible voter registration for our young citizens, particularly first-time voters.

Sixth, institutional accountability and an Election Commission that commands confidence across the political spectrum.

So, let us make one commitment today:

We will not allow transparency to be replaced by secrecy. And we will not allow the fundamental principle of our Republic— one person, one vote, one value— to be weakened.

The ballot belongs to the people. The mandate belongs to the people. So the power of government ultimately rests in the hands of the people.

Our task today is to ensure that the people of India remain the final and unquestioned authority in our democracy. With these words I end my speech.

Thank you.

Jai Hind