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NEW DELHI: Claiming that democracy is in “jeopardy” because the BJP govt is “manipulating” elections with the help of a “biased” Election Commission, the joint opposition has urged CJI Surya Kant to suspend SIR of electoral rolls, arguing it should be done five years before an assembly election.The opposition also raised questions about EVMs and sought serious consideration to restore ballot papers, while alleging that polls in Delhi, Maharashtra and Haryana were manipulated. INDIA bloc, in its June 28 letter to CJI, stated it would not have written to him but has been forced by circumstances. In a list of its grievances – SIR to “favour BJP”, “misuse of agencies to manipulate polls”, and appointment of ECs – it hinted it has hit a wall with govt.
Who next if courts too fail? INDIA bloc to CJI
The SIR process was upheld by Supreme Court in May as it observed that the exercise advances the constitutional imperative of free and fair elections.“Democracies turn into anarchies when institutional mechanisms fail completely… We are not questioning judiciary. In fact, we turn to courts when every mechanism fails. When this, too, fails, it leaves open the question – who do we now turn to? We leave that question for you to ponder upon,” the bloc of 24 political parties and an Independent MP wrote to CJI. “Judges do not live in ivory towers. You, too, are aware of what is happening on the ground,” it said.The letter alleged that under BJP, poll manipulation starts with the appointment of election commissioners, as Modi govt removed CJI from the collegium to select ECs, contrary to Supreme Court’s judgment in Anoop Baranwal case. It alleged govt has appointed people who are “closely associated with it”.“The reason for our grave concern is the brazen biased conduct of the EC, in particular chief election commissioner,” it said. “There has been open, unabashed support of the BJP during the course of electoral processes,” the bloc said, calling SIR the “unkindest cut” by EC and CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
