Why did Congress tell the Election Commission that there is no other option except legal action
#News Bureau November1,2024
Congress on Friday rejected the clarification given by the Election Commission (ECI) on the election fraud in Haryana assembly elections. Congress said that the commission has attacked its leaders and party. Now there is no other way than taking legal action against it.
Many allegations were leveled against the Election Commission regarding the fraud in Haryana assembly elections. Congress also asked many questions. The party also gave a memorandum to the commission. A few days later, the Election Commission not only rejected the allegations of Congress, but also made fun of its leaders. Congress on Friday wrote a letter to the commission in strong words and replied. Congress said that its dialogue with ECI is limited only to issues. But the words in which the Election Commission has replied are the end of its neutrality.
The Election Commission on Tuesday responded to the Congress’ complaint, saying that the Congress makes baseless allegations when it faces inconvenient election results. The Congress has developed a habit of making “baseless and sensational complaints”. The Commission had termed the allegations “irresponsible” and asked the party to take steps to change its “habit of minor complaints”. The Commission had claimed that there were no shortcomings in the electoral process in Haryana
The Congress on Friday said it was not surprised that the Election Commission had given itself a clean chit but said the “tone and tenor of the ECI’s response, the language used and the allegations levelled against the party” had compelled it to respond.
The Congress said the manner in which the Election Commission has responded to the issues raised is “extraordinary”. It seems that the Election Commission has forgotten that it has a duty to do so. The letter to the Election Commission is signed by nine Congress leaders, prominent among them being Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, Ashok Gehlot and Ajay Maken. The letter said, “The recent tone of the Commission’s response to the Congress is a matter that we refuse to take lightly anymore. Every response from the ECI is now replete with attacks on either individual leaders or the party. While the allegations of the Congress are limited to its issues.”
Congress said that “However, the reply of ECI is written to belittle the Congress party. But if the goal of the current ECI is to eliminate the remaining remnants of its neutrality, then it is doing a great job in creating that impression. The judges who write the decision in the court do not attack or defame the party raising the issues. If this attitude of ECI remains, then we will have no option but to take legal recourse to remove such comments.” That is, Congress says that the way the court takes an attitude while giving its decision or comment, the same tone should be of the Election Commission. But it is not doing so.
The Congress claimed that the EC has almost always fought for transparency. Its complaints on the Haryana election process were specific, but the EC’s comments were “general and aimed at ridiculing the complaints and petitioners”.
When the votes were counted on October 8, the Congress’ initial lead suddenly eroded. The BJP then surged ahead and won a record third term with 48 of the state’s 90 seats, while the Congress won 37. The Congress had complained that the results were being withheld or released late without clear reasons being given. The Election Commission had rejected the Congress’ allegations. The Congress later refused to accept the election results. It is worth mentioning here that every exit poll had shown the Congress winning. Exit polls have been proven wrong. But in Haryana, every exit poll was predicting a Congress victory. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said at the time, “What we have seen in Haryana today is a victory of manipulation, a victory of subverting the will of the people and a defeat of transparent, democratic processes. The chapter on Haryana is not over.”a
