Electoral Integrity Under Fire: Congress Demands Urgent Debate
Congress MPs are challenging the legitimacy of electoral systems, citing manipulations in voter rolls and lack of transparency. A call for parliamentary inquiry and reforms was made, sparking intense debates amid a tumultuous parliamentary session. Key bills, including those on governance and economy, faced fierce opposition.
- Country:
- India
In a move to protect electoral integrity, Congress MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have tabled motions demanding a discussion on alleged voter roll manipulation and questions surrounding the credibility of India's electoral systems. Manickam Tagore, a Congress whip, has raised an adjournment motion to scrutinize issues with the Election Commission, with a significant focus on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, which is due for elections.
Tagore, in his letter to the Lok Sabha Secretary-General, has flagged 'grave constitutional and democratic concerns' which include the manipulation of electoral rolls and disenfranchisement of legitimate Bihar voters. Tagore echoes party leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of wrongful voter deletions, which they argue benefit the ruling party. He has also voiced criticism of recent amendments providing legal immunity to election commissioners.
Similar concerns were raised in the Rajya Sabha by Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain, highlighting issues of exclusion affecting marginalized communities. The session has been fractious with heated debates, especially over controversial amendments proposed by Union Minister Amit Shah aiming to oust politically charged figures like the Prime Minister amid legal controversies. Despite the uproar, several economic and infrastructure-related bills were successfully passed.
(With inputs from agencies.)
Google News