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BJP Defends Election Commission, Blames Congress for Electoral Losses
The BJP responded to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of India’s top election officials.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the Election Commission’s voter-list review is allowed by law.
He also said decisions are made by a majority of the three election commissioners.
A newspaper reported that two commissioners had objected to some decisions many times.
The BJP questioned the report because it did not include a direct quote from the commissioners.
The newspaper said it had asked the commission and the commissioners for comments but received no response.
Trivedi also argued that Congress has lost elections because voters have become unhappy with the party.
Congress and Rahul Gandhi have raised concerns about the fairness and functioning of the election process.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi defended the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision process as legally valid and based on majority decisions.
Trivedi rejected a report alleging that two Election Commissioners objected 14 times in 10 months to actions taken under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Indian Express said it contacted the Election Commission and the two commissioners for responses, but received no reply.
Trivedi blamed Congress’s electoral setbacks on strong anti-incumbency against the party and the Gandhi family, citing losses across several states.
He said Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 authorizes the Election Commission to conduct the revision and that the Supreme Court upheld its powers.
- Who
- The BJP, represented by spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and a report by The Indian Express.
- What
- The BJP defended the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision process and disputed claims that commissioners objected to decisions under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- Where
- India, in the context of the Election Commission and electoral processes across several Indian states.
- When
- The BJP response was made Thursday; the cited Indian Express report was published Wednesday, after questions were sent to the Election Commission on September 21.
- Why
- The BJP was responding to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the Chief Election Commissioner and to allegations about disagreements within the Election Commission.
Congress and Reported Concerns
BJP and Election Commission Defense
Internal Election Commission disagreements
Congress and Reported Concerns
The Indian Express reported that two Election Commissioners objected 14 times in 10 months to steps taken under Gyanesh Kumar, including matters involving voter additions and deletions.
BJP and Election Commission Defense
Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned the report’s basis because it contained no on-record or off-record quote from an Election Commissioner and said decisions are valid when supported by a majority.
Legality of the voter-list revision
Congress and Reported Concerns
Rahul Gandhi criticized the Chief Election Commissioner and raised concerns about the election process, while the reported objections focused on decisions connected to the Special Intensive Revision.
BJP and Election Commission Defense
The BJP said Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 authorizes the Election Commission to conduct the revision and that the Supreme Court upheld its powers.
Reasons for Congress’s electoral losses
Congress and Reported Concerns
Rahul Gandhi argued that the BJP’s repeated victories despite anti-incumbency are an established political phenomenon requiring explanation.
BJP and Election Commission Defense
The BJP argued that anti-incumbency has instead been consistently directed against Congress and the Gandhi family, pointing to the party’s failure to return to power in several states.
Key facts
- BJP spokesperson
- Sudhanshu Trivedi
- Election body
- Election Commission of India
- Reported objections
- The Indian Express reported 14 recorded objections by two commissioners over 10 months.
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Gyanesh Kumar
- Legal provision cited
- Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950
- BJP’s position
- The Special Intensive Revision process is legally sound and decisions are based on majority consensus.
- Response attempts
- The Indian Express said it sent questions to the Election Commission and the two commissioners but received no response.
Quotes
Sudhanshu Trivedi
BJP spokesperson responding to Rahul Gandhi and defending the Election Commission
“The Congress has never returned to power in Tamil Nadu since 1967, a time when the BJP did not even exist. Congress has not returned to power in Bengal since 1977; the Communists ruled there for 34 years from 1977 to 2011. Rahul Gandhi neither sees this nor understands it.”
indianexpress.com
“anti-incumbency is, in reality, directed against the Congress party and the Gandhi family, who have held power in the party for 100 years”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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