The Election Commission of India came out with strong words on Tuesday, referring to “repeated pressure tactics” by different political parties and candidates to dent its authority, just a day before the Delhi elections.
In a post on X, the Commission said it was aware of these attempts but committed to calm and grace in the face of such challenges. “Restraint has been exercised, absorbing these outbursts with sagacity and stoicism,” the post read, adding that the Commission would not be swayed by insinuations. It pointed out that the issues raised in the run-up to the elections were investigated by over 150,000 officials working within an institutionalized legal framework to ensure fairness.
This response comes in light of comments from Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on the perceived independence of the Election Commission. The Chief Minister accused the Commission of “not acting against the reported violations of the Model Code of Conduct by the family of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri,” whom she said was “sighted in Delhi’s Kalkaji area and no action was taken against him.”.
An anguished X post by Atishi reads that though she complained against the Delhi Police, the case was filed against her. “The Election Commission is unbelievable. Ramesh Bidhuri’s family is openly flouting the model code, and there’s no action. I reported this, yet the police registered a case against me,” she said.
The situation has further been complicated as Ramesh Bidhuri’s background involves a controversy earlier for using communal slurs against former Bahujan Samaj Party MP Danish Ali. Atishi, in her desperate attempt to retain the seat, earlier reacted emotionally after Bidhuri’s remarks criticized for being offensive.
Kejriwal claimed that he feels both the Election Commission and police in Delhi favor the “hooliganism” to be carried out so that the BJP benefits from such activities. On the eve of elections, cases of vote buying and distribution of liquor have also been reported. He warned trying to stop this may invite a criminal case against them for obstruction.
Kejriwal, last week, wrote to the chief election official in Delhi citing attacks on AAP workers, which he said were at the behest of BJP candidate Parvesh Verma.
On the last day of campaigning, Kejriwal had fired a direct salvo at Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, insinuating that a plum post was being given to him post-retirement and that this endangered democratic accountability. “What kind of post has been offered to Rajiv Kumar post-retirement? Governor, President? I urge him not to destroy democracy,” Kejriwal said.
Matters only escalated when the Commission served notices to Kejwal, asking him to prove his claims that the water of the Yamuna supplied by the BJP-led Haryana government was polluted or be ready to face action under contempt of court.
It will be a single-phase election on Wednesday with counting of votes three days later for all 70 Assembly seats. Delhi is voting as the Aam Aadmi Party seeks an unprecedented third consecutive term of office in the Union Territory amidst unfolding political drama.
