Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, MAY, 20
Batting for restoration of autonomous character of ECI, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and Former Minister today accused the BJP of interfering in the functioning of top election body of the country to subserve its own political ends and motives. He said that it was the writ of the BJP which ran even with regard to matters which fell under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Election authority of India.
There were numerous instances to show that centre was influencing the decisions of Election Commission to suit its political expediencies, said Singh. He said that delay and deny over Assembly elections in J&K was the biggest evidence of BJP’s infringement upon the sovereignty and autonomy of the ECI. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today.
Pointing towards the repeated statements by several saffron party leaders suggesting the conduct of Assembly Elections in J&K in October-November 2019, Mr. Singh said that it seemed that BJP had taken over the decision making powers of the Election Commission. While the timing and schedule of elections fell within the domain of ECI, the BJP seemed to have encroached upon the said powers and was dictating terms to the former, observed Singh. “It was for the first time that ECI was persistently taking the plea that consent of GOI and sate govt was necessary for announcing the election schedule.
And in the process the mandate of constitution and Judgements of Supreme Court were also being by-passed”, claimed Singh. He said that centre was trying to run the system as per its own whims and fancies without any regard for democratic principles and practices and the rule of law.
Pointing further towards the recent controversy in ECI, Mr. Singh said that EC Ashok Lavassa’s statement had further eroded the credibility of the commission and exposed it for its partisan conduct. He said that India being the largest democracy in the world, any tinkering with the autonomy of top Election body could prove disastrous for the nation.
Urging upon the ECI to take early decision with regard to restoration of democratic govt in the state, Mr. Singh said that any further delay in announcement of polls would only diminish the stature of the commission in the reckoning of general masses.
Mr. Gagan Partap Singh State Secretary JKNPP was also present in the press conference.
