Congress's criticism of EC does disrespect to its layered processes

Indian Express

4 hours ago

I have worked with the Election Commission. That's why I couldn't help but feel anguished by the Leader of the Opposition's article in this newspaper ('Match fixing in Maharashtra', IE, June 7). The charges levelled against the Commission in the article are inaccurate.
Elections are a political fight. They are about getting the people's support. However, it seems to have become fashionable to blame the system when political parties are rejected by the people. It's another matter that the parties from the Opposition have been elected to office in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Bengal, Jharkhand and Karnataka. In Karnataka and Himachal, the BJP was ousted from office. If the LoP's accusations are correct, then Congress shouldn't have come to power in these two states.
I have more than 36 years of experience with the civil services and have worked with Congress, BSP, SP and BJP governments at both the state level and the Centre. As a district election officer, I have officiated at least 10 elections. I have also been an election observer in at least five parliamentary constituencies. Nowhere was the role of the Commission doubted.
Now to the charges against the Commission. One, the electoral rolls are updated in a routine manner at the district level. The process involves scrutiny at the booth level and by the tehsildar, sub-divisional officer, the supervisory officer at the district level and the district election office or the district magistrate. Every update is put up at the polling booth, the district office and the state office. Sufficient opportunity is given to all political parties to file objections. These objections are heard, and if necessary, corrections are made before the updated rolls are sent to a state's chief election officer. They are then finalised. The LoP's charge that the rolls were manipulated shows either a disconnect with his party workers at the district level or an absence of responsible cadres from his party at the grassroots level.
Two, the chief election commissioner was earlier appointed by the Centre. One of them, in fact, became a minister after retirement in a government headed by the LoP's party. Now the same party is challenging the process of appointment of the CEC, when today, there is a process laid down for the appointment of this official. The charge is ridiculous.
Three, the voting percentage given during the poll is an estimate. It takes time to arrive at the actual figure since queues at some of the polling stations, at the time of the polls closing, are long. The actual data comes in only when polling officials return to the collection points and submit the actual account with the total votes polled and the voter turnout.
In several remote parts of the country, including in Maharashtra (especially the state's Naxal-prone regions), the polling parties return to the headquarters very late at night or even the next morning. Hence, the final voter turnout is put out only when every polling station gets its written and signed account. There will always be a divergence between the estimated and actual polling percentages. The entire process of accounting for votes involves so many layers of administration that it is impossible to manipulate the figures. Also, nothing stops the candidate from challenging the whole process.
The Congress party and its advisors have lost touch with the system and with the public at large. They have lost the connection with their cadres at the grassroots level as well. They should not forget that the Election Commission of India is often asked by foreign governments to share its experiences in conducting free and fair elections.
In fact, from my experience, I can say that irregularities used to take place when there was a system of paper ballots and when there were no EVMs. I remember a private company once telling me that it could manipulate the EVM. I asked them to give me a demonstration since that would have proved educational for me as well. But they couldn't manipulate the machine.
I would urge the LoP to rethink. His criticism of Operation Sindoor indicates that he has lost touch with the country's reality. The LoP's criticism of the Election Commission is totally out of place.
The writer is Chairman, Prasar Bharati