ECI cites protocol after Rahul-led delegation seeks meeting at Parliament Annexe
Opposition MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, were denied a meeting with the Election Commission as their requested venue, Parliament House Annexe, contravened established protocol. The commission offered to send an officer to receive their memorandum instead.
Opposition MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, were denied a meeting with the Election Commission as their requested venue, Parliament House Annexe, contravened established protocol. The commission offered to send an officer to receive their memorandum instead.
Opposition MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, were denied a meeting with the Election Commission as their requested venue, Parliament House Annexe, contravened established protocol. The commission offered to send an officer to receive their memorandum instead.
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday said a delegation of 240 MPs led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi sought to meet the poll panel at the Parliament House Annexe and submit a memorandum, but the request was not accepted as the meeting venue was contrary to the Commission's established protocol.
The development came amid a high-voltage protest by INDIA bloc MPs against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The opposition parties had marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters, demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Police stopped the MPs on Parliament Street, following which the leaders staged a dharna. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those who participated in the protest. The demonstrators raised slogans against the Election Commission and carried placards targeting the CEC.
The protest intensified following a controversy over Form 6, the application used for inclusion of names in the electoral roll. The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that it had not approved any modified version of the form. The clarification came after the ECI had stated on September 26 that the additional declaration attached to Form 6 for the SIR exercise had been upheld by the court.
Against this backdrop, the ECI said it learnt through media reports that some MPs intended to meet the Commission as part of the march. However, no political party had formally sought an appointment through its authorised representatives until 4 pm on Tuesday, the Commission said.
Around 4 pm, the ECI received information from Delhi Police that a delegation led by Rahul Gandhi wanted to meet the Commission and submit a memorandum.
The Commission said it had established a procedure for meetings with political parties in 2025. Under the procedure, parties are required to seek appointments through their duly authorised representatives, after which a meeting is scheduled at a mutually agreed date and time. While considering the request, the ECI said it was informed by the Delhi Police DCP that the delegation comprised 240 MPs and that the proposed meeting was to be held at the Parliament House Annexe.
The Commission termed this an unusual request and said it could not accept it as its protocol requires such meetings to be held on the premises of the Election Commission of India. The ECI, however, offered an alternative. It said it was prepared to send its senior-most officer on duty to the Parliament House Annexe to receive the memorandum from the MPs. The Commission described this as an unprecedented step.
According to the ECI, the MPs declined the offer
The poll panel said it respects parliamentary and democratic processes while adhering to its established protocols and conventions. It reiterated that political parties can seek meetings with the Commission at any time, following which a suitable date and time would be scheduled.
The day's confrontation is the latest escalation in the opposition's campaign against the Election Commission, with the SIR exercise, alleged voter deletions and questions over the functioning of the poll panel forming the centre of the political dispute.