After Jairam Ramesh Alleges Amit Shah Called DMs, EC Says to Provide Details | News from India

NEW DELHI: In a strong response, the Election Commission on Sunday asked Congress member Jairam Ramesh to substantiate his accusation that Amit Shah had called and “intimidated” district magistrates (DMs), who are also returning officers (RO), before counting, and requested details of the DMs contacted by the Minister of the Interior as well as the factual basis of his “information”.

In a letter to Ramesh on Sunday, EC noted that “the process of counting votes is a sacred duty incumbent upon every RO and such public statements by a highly placed, responsible and experienced leader tend to bring an element of doubt and therefore deserve to be taken into account. be addressed in the broader public interest.” While emphasizing that no DM had reported any such attempt at undue influence, EC asked Ramesh for details and information which he “believes to be true”.

“As a responsible, experienced and very senior leader of a national party, you must have made such a public statement, just before the counting day, based on facts/information that you believe to be true. It is requested that details of the 150 DMs to whom such calls were allegedly made by the Home Minister along with the factual matrix/basis of your information be shared by 7pm today…this is i.e. June 2, so that appropriate measures can be taken. “, EC said in its letter to the Congress General Secretary in charge of communications.

Importantly, the EC has scheduled a press conference on Monday where it is expected to speak on several issues, including the “pattern” of doubts raised over well-established electoral processes during general elections.

Ramesh had, in an article on “This is blatant and brazen intimidation and shows how desperate the BJP is. Let it be very clear: the will of the people will prevail, and on June 4, Modi, Shah and the BJP will emerge, and Janbandhan INDIA will be victorious. Agents must not be put under any pressure and must respect the Constitution. They are under surveillance,” he said.

During the period of application of the model code of conduct, all agents are considered to be delegated to the EC and report directly to it.

EC has been proactive throughout this election in refuting uncorroborated allegations – as it did in the case of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's accusation that there was mismanagement and delay in publication of EVM data, even calling it a biased and deliberate attempt to sow confusion.

“EC cannot remain a mute spectator to attacks by politicians, especially when they tend to confuse voters about electoral processes or create a false narrative. People tend to believe top leaders, who should be responsible and refrain from making unverified claims and attacks,” said an EC official.

Delhi's chief electoral officer on Sunday refuted Congress net Ajay Maken's allegation – also made via a social media post – that candidate counting agents would not be allowed at the deputy returning officer's table. “It is clarified that candidate counting officers are allowed at the RO/ARO tables,” the Delhi CEO's office said on its official account.