4 hrs ago
Mahua Moitra Seeks FIR Against Chief Election Commissioner
Mahua Moitra is a lawmaker from the Trinamool Congress party.
She went to a police station in New Delhi to complain about Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
She wants the police to investigate decisions made during a voter-list exercise called SIR.
Moitra said two other election commissioners had objected to several decisions.
She argued that the chief commissioner could not make decisions alone for the whole Election Commission.
She also questioned the public money spent on the exercise.
Election Commission officials said all decisions were unanimous and approved by all three commissioners.
Police had not yet registered a case when the report was published.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra filed a police complaint against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi.
She cited a report alleging that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected to at least 14 decisions over 10 months.
Moitra alleged Kumar acted without the consent of the other commissioners and that some Election Commission communications were unauthorized.
She also questioned the use of public funds for the Special Intensive Revision exercise and requested an FIR and investigation.
The Election Commission said its decisions, including the SIR, were unanimous and approved by all three commissioners; police had not registered an FIR.
- Who
- Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra filed the complaint against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar; the Election Commission and commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi were central to the allegations.
- What
- Moitra sought registration of an FIR and an investigation into alleged unauthorized Election Commission decisions during the Special Intensive Revision exercise.
- Where
- Parliament Street police station in New Delhi.
- When
- Thursday; the complaint cited objections allegedly made over the preceding 10 months.
- Why
- Moitra alleged that Kumar acted without the other commissioners' consent and questioned the use of public funds for the SIR exercise.
Moitra's Allegations
Election Commission's Response
Authority to make decisions
Moitra's Allegations
Moitra said the CEC could not act for the Commission against the recorded opinions of the other two commissioners and alleged that communications issued in its name were not approved.
Election Commission's Response
Election Commission sources said all decisions, including those connected with SIR, had the approval of the CEC and both election commissioners.
Objections by election commissioners
Moitra's Allegations
Moitra cited a report saying Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times to decisions involving voter additions, deletions, restorations and registration procedures.
Election Commission's Response
EC officials acknowledged that the two commissioners had flagged decisions concerning electoral-roll cleanup and voter-database handling, while maintaining that final decisions were unanimous.
Legal immunity and investigation
Moitra's Allegations
Moitra argued that Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, does not prevent police from registering an FIR or investigating alleged criminal conduct.
Election Commission's Response
The articles report the immunity provision and Moitra's interpretation, but do not provide a separate response from Gyanesh Kumar on that legal argument.
Key facts
- Complainant
- Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP
- Subject of complaint
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- Police station
- Parliament Street police station, New Delhi
- Reported objections
- At least 14 objections over 10 months, according to the cited Indian Express report
- Exercise involved
- Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls
- Police action
- No FIR had been registered when the report was published
- Election Commission response
- Officials said all decisions, including SIR, were unanimous and approved by both election commissioners and the CEC
Quotes
Mahua Moitra
Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP who submitted the police complaint
“They cannot also get on the rolls. So this is criminal conduct, and they cannot hide behind Section 16 of the CEC and EC Act of 2023. That gives you immunity from discharging your official function. Your official function is when you act along with three commissioners as an election commission. If you turn rogue and turn a criminal, and you do not listen to the other two election commissioners, you serve all power.”
m.rediff.com
“In consideration of the above facts, I request that a first information report be registered and the offences investigated, that the role of each person involved be ascertained, that the relevant witnesses, including the two Election Commissioners, be examined, and that the evidence be secured without delay so as to prevent its destruction or manipulation.”
m.rediff.com
Sources
Related news
Opposition Escalates Impeachment Push Against CEC Over SIR Dispute
Opposition Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal Over SIR Dissent
Two Election Commissioners Raise 14 Objections Over SIR Decisions
CPI(M) Seeks Gyanesh Kumar’s Removal, Immediate SIR Halt
Election Commission Says SIR Decisions Were Unanimous Despite Objections
TMC revives impeachment push against CEC amid Election Commission dissent
Minorities Commission Seeks Report on Alleged Religious Discrimination Claims
Justice Datta's Cricket Analogy Challenges Election Commissioner Appointment Law
Jamui Molestation Case Accused Shot, Arrests Spur Bihar Political Storm
Bengal Clashes in Mukundapur Leave Several Hospitalised, Parties Trade Charges
