Rahul Gandhi has right to question election process, KPCC tells CEC
In a letter to the Election Commission of India in New Delhi, Babu argued that Article 324 of the Constitution, along with provisions of the Representation of the People Acts of 1950 and 1951, places a 'bounden duty' on the ECI to ensure free and fair elections and maintain accurate electoral rolls. Citing Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, Babu maintained that citizens — including Opposition leaders — have the right to question the correctness of electoral rolls and the fairness of the election process. 'Such actions strengthen democracy and should not invite threats or intimidation,' the letter stated.
Rahul recently alleged vote theft in Karnataka's Mahadevapura segment, claiming over one lakh fake entries created through duplicate registrations, fake addresses, and misuse of Form-6. He accused the ECI of complicity by refusing to provide machine-readable digital voter rolls, destroying CCTV footage from polling stations, and blocking independent audits. He also questioned the absence of alleged anti-incumbency patterns in the results, hinting at manipulation.
Babu emphasised that Rahul's demands for digital electoral rolls and independent scrutiny were made in the public interest, and warned that threatening him for doing so was 'against the spirit of the Constitution'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
13 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Country should move forward adhering to the principles of the Constitution: Sharan Prakash Patil
Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil stressed building a strong and healthy nation based on the history that the country had before independence. 'The country should move forward with peace and brotherhood and also adhering to the principles of the Constitution and respecting its values,' he said. He was addressing the crowd after hoisting the national flag at Mahatma Gandhi Stadium in Raichur to mark the 79th Independence Day on Friday. 'India got independence after a supreme sacrifice by lakhs of freedom fighters. After independence, the country had its constitution drafted by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, who envisaged equal rights for all citizens irrespective of their caste and religion. Therefore, every citizen must adhere to them to take the country forward unitedly in all sectors,' Dr. Patil said. Praising the contributions of the 12th-century saints and spiritual icons, primarily Basavanna, to bring equality and uphold social justice, he said that Kalyan Karnataka has got its special prominence in the state for these reasons. Despite spiritual richness, the region remained backward, and considering this, the UPA government at the centre brought an amendment to the Constitution, inserting 371 J to ensure special status. Thus, the region is getting an annual grant of ₹5,000 crore, and thousands are getting seats in medical and engineering courses, and, apart from that, those who are eligible are getting jobs, the Minister said. Dr. Patil, who is also the District in-charge Minister, also said that the State government is committed to developing the Raichur district with new projects. The district will soon get a convention hall and a cancer hospital at a cost of ₹50 crore each. The new airport will also come up shortly. But as far as the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) is concerned, the State government had already submitted a proposal to the centre, he added. MP G. Kumar Naik, MLAs Shivaraj Patil and Basanagouda Daddal, MLC Vasant Kumar, Mayor Narasamma Narasimhalu, Deputy Commissioner Nitish K., CEO Eshwar Kumar Kandoo, Superintendent of Police G. Puttamadaiah, City Corporation Commissioner Jubin Mohapatra, Additional Deputy Commissioner Shivanand, Assistant Commissioner Gajanan Bale, Tahsildar Suresh Varma and others were present.
The Print
38 minutes ago
- The Print
‘Appeasing RSS' to secure job extension—Congress hits out at Modi over RSS praise in I-Day speech
Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said the PM's remarks amounted to politicisation of Independence Day for 'personal and organisational gain', which, he said, was deeply corrosive to India's democratic ethos. The principal opposition party also suggested that Modi's remarks were aimed at appeasing the RSS, an organisation it described as representing a legacy 'not of fighting colonialism but of spreading hate and division among fellow Indians', as he remains 'reliant' on its support for an extension of his tenure beyond 17 September, when he turns 75. New Delhi: Having long framed its fight with the RSS in sharply ideological terms, the Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of committing a 'blatant breach of the spirit of a constitutional, secular republic' by praising the organisation during his Independence Day address from the ramparts of the Red Fort. 'The most troubling element of the PM's speech today was his name-checking of the RSS from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Decisively weakened after the events of June 4th, 2024, he is now at their complete mercy and reliant on Mohan Bhagwat's good offices for the extension of his tenure after September,' Ramesh said in a statement. Ramesh was essentially echoing Rahul Gandhi, whose deeply critical view of the RSS has formed the core of the Congress's official line. Rahul frequently frames the party's political struggle as an ideological battle against the RSS, which he argues embodies a worldview fundamentally at odds with India's civilisational ethos. No Rahul or Kharge at Red Fort Neither Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi nor Congress president and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge were present at the Red Fort during the Prime Minister's Independence Day address. In 2024, Rahul had attended the ceremony but was seated near the back, sparking controversy. Kharge hoisted the Tricolour at the Congress's new headquarters, Indira Bhavan, on Delhi's Kotla Marg amid heavy rain. Rahul also joined the ceremony as rain poured down. There was no official word from the Congress on the absence of Rahul and Kharge at the Red Fort ceremony. In his speech, Kharge, referring to the party's ongoing campaign against alleged voter list fraud, made an appeal to Congress leaders and workers to obtain and closely examine electoral rolls at the booth level. 'Check how many names have been removed, or declared dead, or deliberately shifted to another booth as part of a conspiracy. How many outsiders' names are being added? Or where the same Voter ID Card has been added multiple times. A new issue has come to light: a day before the election, a new Voter List is sent under the guise of an additional list, which candidates cannot verify due to lack of time,' he said. Meanwhile, on Friday, the Congress was also sharply critical of a Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas social media post on Independence Day featuring the images of Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh alongside that of Veer Savarkar. In the post, Savarkar's photo was placed above the rest. 'No matter how hard you try, Mr. Modi, you can't push Mahatma, Netaji & Bhagat Singh below Mafiveer. Don't disgrace the martyrs who fought and died for freedom by glorifying those who begged the British with apology letters,' Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore posted on X. Tagore also lashed out at the PM for praising RSS in his Red Fort speech. 'The RSS, founded in 1925, did not play a direct role in India's Independence struggle. It stayed away from the Civil Disobedience Movement, Quit India Movement, and other mass protests against British rule. K.B. Hedgewar, its founder, had joined Congress protests before 1925. But after forming RSS, the focus shifted to 'cultural nationalism'—not confronting colonial power…' Tagore wrote on X. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal also voiced strong disapproval of the ministry's social media post. 'Every Independence Day, the Modi-led BJP makes it a point to distort history and make heroes out of traitors. This Orwellian image, elevating a British mercy petitioner like Savarkar over Gandhi ji – the undisputed Mahatma who got us freedom, and completely eliminating Pandit Nehru and Sardar Patel ji, shows their contempt for our freedom fighters. What else can one except from those whose forefathers collaborated with the British to sow the seeds of division and hatred that haunts us to this very day?' Venugopal wrote on X. (Edited by Vidhi Bhutra) Also read: Signalling a truce, why Modi's visit to RSS headquarters is significant
The Hindu
43 minutes ago
- The Hindu
BJP, TDP leaders stress unity, recall Muslim role in freedom struggle
The Andhra Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrated Independence Day at its State headquarters in Vijayawada on Friday with patriotic fervour. State BJP president P.V.N. Madhav hoisted the national flag after a ceremonial puja, reminding the gathering that India's freedom was won through the sacrifices of millions, not just a few celebrated leaders. In his address, Mr. Madhav called the Partition of India on religious lines a painful chapter and reiterated the BJP's opposition to such divisions. Recalling the Emergency, he said BJP affiliates had fought to protect the Constitution and continued to champion causes such as 'Save Kashmir,' 'Save Assam,' and 'Save Teen Bigha.' Citing progress since 2014 under BJP rule, he mentioned the Statue of Unity honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign, and Operation Sindoor as symbols of national pride and India's growing global stature. He also noted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's effort in bringing nationalist leader Shyamji Krishna Varma's ashes from Switzerland for immersion in the Sabarmati River. NTR District BJP president Addoori Sri Ram and other senior leaders were present. Later, at a programme by the Minority Human Rights Protection Society (MHPS), Mr. Madhav honoured the memory of Ashfaqulla Khan alongside Ram Prasad Bismil, underscoring Hindu–Muslim unity in the freedom struggle. TDP Politburo member T.D. Janardhan highlighted the contribution of Muslims to independence, while MHPS State president Mohammed Farooq Shibli said 'unity in diversity' was India's greatest strength, recalling that many Muslims chose to stay in India during Partition. The celebrations drew large crowds, including madrasa students and Muslim women, and featured a 25-kg cake and a 'Light Walk' displaying portraits of Muslim freedom fighters.
