NEW DELHI: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday alleged that the State Election Commission (SEC) of Delhi has “withheld” the dates for civic polls in the city, “under pressure from the BJP at the Centre”. Sisodia made the accusation during a press conference, soon after the SEC of Delhi, S K Srivastava, in a press meet, said, “We were about to announce the dates, but now it will take another five-seven days to do so.”
Sisodia said, “BJP has so brutally infringed upon democratic values that it has reduced the election commission to a laughing stock. BJP is trying to cover up its scams and run away from the fight. Babasaheb’s constitution gave the Election Commission the independence of conducting free and fair elections but the BJP and Centre are hell-bent upon breaking every law of the land.”
The minister added, “Today is an unfortunate, dangerous and dark day for the country’s democracy as the SEC, under pressure of BJP, refused to hold elections in city. The commission was about to announce the date of the polls at 5 pm on Wednesday through a pre-announced press-conference, but BJP pressurised EC to postpone the announcement.”
Sisodia, alleging BJP of misusing powers, said “When the constitution has given strength to the SEC that it will not bow down to anyone and will conduct elections on time, why is body bowing before the BJP.”
Meanwhile, CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “BJP has manipulated the Election Commission into deferring upcoming polls. People of Delhi will seek revenge for this brutal murder of democracy. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will sweep the MCD clean with 260 seats and kick BJP out. Will the Election Commission work under pressure from the Centre now? Will Modi Ji’s arrogance not let elections take place in India?”
Congress, too, hit back. Anil Chaudhary, Delhi Congress chief said the postponement of MCD polls is extremely unfortunate. By misusing the power, the elections, which were to be held till April 22, 2022, have been postponed. This shows that the BJP at the Centre and the AAP in Delhi are terrified of their defeat.