Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Friday accused the Narendra Modi-led government of posing the gravest threat to India's electoral democracy by undermining constitutional institutions and the integrity of the electoral process. He made the remarks while releasing the letter that 24 Opposition parties and an independent MP had sent to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on June 28.
Opposition letter highlights flawed SIR process
Venugopal, who is also the Alappuzha MP, stated that the letter addressed concerns about the flawed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the partisan role of the Election Commission, and other election-related issues. He said, "We are releasing this letter, in the interest of transparency, and in the hope that the Supreme Court will take the firm steps that are urgently required to restore the integrity of the poll process and faith of crores of Indians in the process."
The Opposition's letter described the SIR as an "ill-timed" exercise whose implementation was a "monumental disaster" due to "procedural flaws." It also accused the Election Commission of openly supporting the BJP during electoral processes and in their outcomes.
Judiciary must safeguard democracy: Congress
Venugopal emphasized that the judiciary has a constitutional responsibility to act as a safeguard against executive overreach. He said the current government was "hell-bent on destroying the constitutional framework" of Indian democracy. According to him, the Supreme Court has a critical role in ensuring that elections remain free and fair and are perceived as such by the public.
He warned that unless concerns regarding the electoral process are addressed, the rights of India's 1.4 billion citizens and the credibility of democratic institutions could be adversely affected.
Election Commission defends its actions
On the same day, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar asserted that every action of the poll authority is based on the Constitution, electoral laws, and written instructions issued from time to time. He cautioned officials against false narratives propagated on social media and urged them to engage proactively to prevent the spread of misinformation.
CEC Kumar added that the highest-ever voter turnout in the recent assembly polls is a testament to the people's faith in the electoral process, countering the Opposition's allegations.
