Farrukhabad

Jairam Ramesh has accused Narendra Modi of using Election Commission for political gain. He says the current government has weakened the group. This has led to many voters not being able to cast their ballots. This sharp criticism is quite different from how Manmohan Singh worked with the election body.

Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi recently shared a story from 2012. During the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, minister Salman Khurshid was scolded for promising minority quotas in Farrukhabad.

Respect for democratic institutions

When Quraishi raised concerns about ministers criticizing the commission, Manmohan Singh was very upset. Quraishi remembers that the former Prime Minister valued the institution so much that he was personally hurt by any sign of conflict.

Ramesh thinks this respect for democratic institutions has disappeared under the current government. He says Election Commission must stay neutral to make sure every citizen is fairly represented.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh started a discussion by comparing how Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi view the Election Commission. Ramesh claims that Singh saw the body as a core part of democracy. He feels the current government uses it for political benefits.

This criticism comes after a story shared by former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi. In 2012, when Salman Khurshid faced complaints about breaking the model code of conduct in Farrukhabad, Manmohan Singh expressed worry about the authority of the Commission.

Concerns about current processes

Ramesh feels this respect for independent groups is missing now. He claims the current Special Summary Revision process is leading to many people losing their right to vote.

Former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi recently talked about the independence of the Election Commission. He mentioned that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh respected the poll body and saw it as vital to democracy. Quraishi shared a story from 2012 when then Law Minister Salman Khurshid was criticized for comments he made during Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Election Commission independence

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh used these points to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ramesh claimed that the current government sees the commission as a method for political control. He also said that recent methods have caused people to lose their voting rights. This claim highlights growing tension between the opposition and the government regarding the honesty of electoral groups.