The Congress party on Saturday criticised the Election Commission (EC) for its handling of electoral matters, accusing it of undermining the Constitution and insulting voters. The criticism came as the country celebrated National Voters’ Day, marking the establishment of the Election Commission on January 25, 1950.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X expressed his party’s disapproval, stating, “There will be a lot of self-congratulation today but that will not obscure the fact that the Election Commission as it has been functioning makes a mockery of the Constitution and is an insult to the voters themselves.”
Ramesh also pointed to the historical significance of National Voters’ Day, noting that the day honours the creation of the Election Commission, which was instrumental in establishing India’s democratic process.
He highlighted the contributions of Sukumar Sen, the first Chairman of the Election Commission. “He was the sole Chief Election Commissioner for eight years. His ‘Report on the First General Elections in India 1951-52’ is a classic. But the preparations of the draft electoral roll for the first elections had been completed before Sen took over,” he said.
He also mentioned TN Seshan, another prominent figure in the body’s history, saying that his contributions were seminal.
However, Ramesh claimed that over the past decade, the professionalism and independence of the Election Commission have been “severely compromised by the PM-HM duo,” referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
He further criticised the EC’s actions during recent state elections, alleging that its stance on issues raised in Haryana and Maharashtra appeared partisan and “shockingly” biased. “Some of its decisions are now under challenge in the Supreme Court,” Ramesh added.