The Congress on Friday intensified its attack on the Centre and the Election Commission of India, alleging that India's electoral democracy faces an extraordinary challenge and has appealed to the Supreme Court to intervene to protect the integrity of the country's electoral process.
In a statement, Congress General Secretary in-charge of organisation K C Venugopal said the party, along with 22 other opposition parties and one independent MP, had written to the Chief Justice of India on June 28 expressing concern over the special summary revision of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission.
Venugopal alleged that electoral democracy in our country faces the most severe threats from the Modi-Shah government. He said the joint letter had highlighted what the opposition has termed as the flawed Special Summary Revision (SSR) process, the partisan role of the Election Commission of India, and other election-related issues that require immediate judicial review, according to the signatories.
Venugopal said it is the role of our judiciary to save our democracy from administrative excesses - particularly those that are bent on destroying the constitutional framework that gives us our democracy. Emphasizing the constitutional role of the Supreme Court, the Congress leader said it is the responsibility of the apex court to ensure that elections remain free and fair and that the trust of the people in the electoral process is protected.
He said in our democracy, the Supreme Court has been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of ensuring that injustice does not prevail. Therefore, for the protection of the free and fair character of elections, and also to ensure that they appear to be free and fair, it has a crucial role. Without it, injustice against 1.4 billion voters continues every day.
Venugopal said the opposition has decided to make the letter public in the interest of transparency and hopes that the Supreme Court will take necessary and concrete steps to restore trust, integrity, and accountability in the electoral process of our millions of people.
The opposition's appeal comes amid growing political controversy over the Election Commission's special summary revision of electoral rolls across the country. Several opposition parties have alleged that the exercise could result in eligible voters being left out and have questioned both the timing and the terms of reference set by the poll panel.
However, the Election Commission has maintained that the revision is being carried out in accordance with constitutional and legal provisions to ensure accurate and updated electoral rolls.