Upping the ante against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, twenty-three political parties, including the DMK and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Tuesday submitted a joint letter to Chief Justice Surya Kant on the role of the Election Commission and other election-related issues.
The letter follows the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8, where the parties unanimously decided to send a joint representation to the CJI on the SIR process, alleged “vote loot” and the “stealing of elections”.
According to Opposition sources, the four-page letter raised concerns about the SIR process in several states, including West Bengal, Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar. The parties also alleged that the Election Commission has been acting in a “partisan” manner and questioned its handling of election-related issues.
While the letter drew a sharp response from the BJP, Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad alleged, saying, “You all know that the BJP is number one in theft — vote theft, MLA poaching, MP poaching and donation scams. We have written that the CEC is still an ex-officio member. Earlier, he was a member of the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust, where allegations of a `3,500 crore scam went uninvestigated. In such a situation, should that person continue to hold this position?”
RJD MP Manoj Jha said the issue went beyond electoral rolls and concerned citizens’ democratic rights. “…we would urge the Supreme Court, as it remains the final hope, to show us a way forward or cite a precedent... It is not just the numbers that are growing; democracy itself appears to be dying. I do not believe for a moment that this is a crisis for the Trinamool Congress or the Shiv Sena; it is a crisis for Indian democracy. An attempt is being made to establish a one-party system,” he said.
Although INDIA bloc constituents DMK and AAP had skipped the June 8 meeting citing reservations over the Congress’ role within the alliance, sources said the parties remained united in opposing the SIR process. Congress and the DMK have also ended their decades-old alliance after the Congress extended support to TVK in Tamil Nadu.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Opposition remained anchored in “SURE” — Solidarity, Unity and Resistance. He said 21 political parties and one Independent party attended the June 8 INDIA Janbandhan meeting, where the decision was taken to jointly write to the Chief Justice. According to him, the letter signed by 23 political parties and one Independent MP, including Kapil Sibal, was sent on Tuesday.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said the Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK were also among the signatories.
"Good going from INDIA. And yes, @AamAadmiParty @arivalayam DMK also signed the joint letter to CJI," he said on X.
Reacting strongly, the BJP accused the Opposition of displaying “the height of hypocrisy” by criticising the SIR process while supporting similar electoral roll revision exercises in states where it suited them politically. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that repeated electoral defeats had prompted Opposition parties to target constitutional institutions.
Calling SIR a pretext, Poonawalla alleged that the Opposition was attempting to create an excuse for future electoral losses. He claimed the Congress had earlier praised the EC, EVMs and electoral roll revisions in states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, but opposed the exercise in states where it faced political setbacks. He asserted that the Supreme Court had recognised the importance of SIR in ensuring free and fair elections and said the EC was constitutionally empowered to conduct the exercise.
Oppn questions handling of election-related issues
The Opposition parties alleged that the Election Commission has been acting in a “partisan” manner and questioned its handling of election-related issues. Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla claimed the Congress had earlier praised the EC, but opposed the exercise in states where it faced political setbacks.
