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Election Commission Rifts Reopen Debate Over Poll Body Dissent
The Election Commission is having disagreements among its members.
These disagreements concern how voter lists are being revised.
Similar disputes happened in the past.
In 2019, Ashok Lavasa disagreed with decisions clearing senior BJP leaders of alleged election-code violations.
He wanted his disagreement added to the official decisions, but the Commission refused.
In 2021, Rajiv Kumar wanted to defend the Commission in court after criticism of its handling of elections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The head of the Commission at the time, Sushil Chandra, opposed that step.
The current commissioners have again raised concerns about voter deletions.
Differences among election commissioners over the ongoing special intensive revision have again become public.
In 2019, Ashok Lavasa filed dissent notes over clean chits given to senior BJP leaders for alleged Model Code violations.
The then Commission, headed by Sunil Arora, rejected Lavasa’s request to attach the notes to final published orders.
In May 2021, Rajiv Kumar sought to file a separate affidavit defending the Election Commission after criticism from the Madras High Court.
Current commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have raised concerns including voter deletions during the ongoing revision.
- Who
- Election commissioners, including Ashok Lavasa, Sunil Arora, Rajiv Kumar, Sushil Chandra, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
- What
- Public disagreements within the Election Commission over election-code decisions, court responses and voter-list revisions.
- Where
- The disputes involved the Election Commission, the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court; the report is datelined New Delhi.
- When
- The cited disputes occurred during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in May 2021 and during the ongoing special intensive revision.
- Why
- Commissioners differed over whether dissent should be recorded, how the poll body should respond to court criticism and concerns about voter deletions.
Commissioners Raising Dissent
Commission Majority or Leadership
Recording disagreements
Commissioners Raising Dissent
Ashok Lavasa wanted his dissent notes on alleged Model Code violations included in the final published orders.
Commission Majority or Leadership
The Commission headed by Sunil Arora said its executive orders did not provide for attaching dissent notes and rejected the request.
Response to court criticism
Commissioners Raising Dissent
Rajiv Kumar sought to submit a separate affidavit defending the Election Commission after the Madras High Court’s criticism.
Commission Majority or Leadership
Then Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra opposed Kumar’s proposed affidavit.
Voter-list revision
Commissioners Raising Dissent
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have red-flagged issues including the deletion of voters during the ongoing revision.
Commission Majority or Leadership
The article does not state the position of the other members of the Election Commission on those concerns.
Key facts
- 2019 dispute
- Ashok Lavasa issued dissent notes on clean chits given to senior BJP leaders over alleged Model Code violations.
- Dissent-record request
- Lavasa’s request to attach his dissent notes to final published orders was rejected.
- 2021 dispute
- Rajiv Kumar sought to file a separate affidavit defending the Election Commission after criticism by the Madras High Court.
- Court criticism
- The Madras High Court said the Election Commission was “singularly responsible” for the second COVID-19 wave because of its handling of assembly elections.
- Current concerns
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have raised several issues, including voter deletions.
- Later career
- Ashok Lavasa later resigned from the Election Commission to join the Asian Development Bank.
Sources
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