Election Commission of India not responding to concerns of Opposition: Venugopal
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Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Congress leaders K.C. Venugopal, B.K. Hariprasad, Randeep Singh Surjewala, and others at a meeting with new district Congress committee presidents in Bengaluru on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: special arrangement
Stating that the deletion of about 23% of names from the electoral rolls in Karnataka during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) had surprised the party, All India Congress Committee general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal on Wednesday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of not responding to concerns and questions of the Opposition parties.
“In the last three to four years, the ECI is not responding to any of the questions posed by the Opposition. It cannot be said that the deletions look natural. The Election Commission is deliberately doing it and trying to hide something. Several times our petitions have been dismissed. It has never happened in the country’s history,” he told presspersons here after participating in a meeting on SIR with party’s office-bearers.
“In Karnataka, of 5.54 crores voters, 1.07 crore have been deleted and notices have been issued to 43 lakh persons. There is a possibility of these voters also getting deleted,” he said, adding that the party hoped that the Karnataka government would punish those who are indulging in illegalities in SIR.
He said: “The fight was not between the BJP and the Opposition parties only. It is between the BJP using CBI, ED, IT and Election Commission and the Opposition.”
Mr. Venugopal, who also took part in a meeting with newly appointed district presidents, said that the appointments were part of Sanghatan Srujan, a decision taken at the CWC meeting at Belagavi. “The district presidents have been guided in their future path. They will be evaluated after six months. Those doing good work will be retained. Those who fail in their responsibility will be replaced.”
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