NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had acknowledged its invitation for a meeting with 30 MPs after seeking an appointment for the top brass of opposition parties over various issues, including the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar, but he later “changed his tone”.
A senior poll panel official told TNIE that Jairam Ramesh “had acknowledged yesterday, the invitation for 30 MPs to meet the ECI today at 12 noon. Now he has changed his tone”.
Incidentally, the ECI official’s response came after the Congress leader claimed that he has urged poll panel to allow Opposition MPs to collectively hand over a memorandum and not for just a delegation.
In response to Ramesh's letter, ECI Secretary Ashwani Kumar Mohal wrote saying: “I am directed to refer to your letter dated 10.08.2025 and to state that the Commission has considered the request made therein and decided to give an appointment for an interaction at 12:00 PM on 11.08.2025 (Monday) at Sukumar Sen Hall, 7th Floor, Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi.”
He went on to further add, “Accordingly, it is requested that, due to limitation of space, names of up to 30 persons along with vehicle numbers may kindly be intimated at election@eci.gov.in.”
In response to the ECI Secretary’s letter offering the invitation, Ramesh in a mail wrote back saying “Many thanks”.
Earlier, the Congress leader in a post on X while sharing the copy of his letter sent to the ECI wrote, “Here is our original request to the ECI. It is for the Opposition MPs to collectively hand over a memorandum and NOT for just a delegation.”
In his letter to the poll panel on Sunday, Ramesh wrote, “I am writing to inform the Commission that all Opposition MPs are staging a peaceful march from Parliament House to Nirvachan Sadan on August 11, 2025 after 11: 30 am. Thereafter, the MPs wish to collectively meet the Commission on a host of issues, including but not limited to SIR of electoral rolls being undertaken in Bihar and proposed to be undertaken in other states as well.”
“We look forward to meeting with the Commission which will be in keeping with the highest tradition of our parliamentary democracy,” he said.
Notably, leaders from the INDIA bloc on Monday staged a protest against over the ongoing SIR in Bihar and alleged vote theft during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.