1 hr ago
Election Commission Says Bengal SIR Did Not Alter Results
The Election Commission checked whether voter-list changes affected election results in West Bengal.
Derek O’Brien of the Trinamool Congress said some constituencies had more deleted voters than the winning margin.
He asked for elections to be held again in 31 constituencies.
The commission disagreed with this approach.
It said some deleted entries belonged to people who were absent, had moved, had died or were listed twice.
It also said the Trinamool Congress won 21 constituencies where the same comparison would apply.
The commission said many appeals about the voter list are still waiting to be decided.
It suggested creating more appeal tribunals to handle the backlog.
The Election Commission told the Supreme Court that Bengal’s SIR did not materially change election results against the Trinamool Congress.
Derek O’Brien sought re-elections in 31 constituencies, citing deletions that allegedly exceeded BJP candidates’ winning margins.
The commission said the Trinamool Congress won 21 constituencies where deletions exceeded its candidates’ victory margins.
The poll panel argued that absentee, shifted, dead and duplicate entries should not be treated as effective disenfranchisement.
Of 38,31,429 appeals, 1,26,194 have been adjudicated, leaving 37,05,235 cases pending; the commission proposed more tribunals.
- Who
- The Election Commission of India and Derek O’Brien of the All India Trinamool Congress are the main parties.
- What
- The commission told the Supreme Court that the Special Intensive Revision did not materially alter Bengal’s election results.
- Where
- The dispute concerns West Bengal and proceedings before the Supreme Court of India.
- When
- The commission filed its response on Monday; it also cited a Supreme Court judgment from June 24.
- Why
- The commission responded to O’Brien’s request for re-elections in 31 constituencies based on voter deletions and winning margins.
Trinamool Congress Position
Election Commission Position
Whether deletions affected results
Trinamool Congress Position
Derek O’Brien argued that deletions exceeded BJP candidates’ winning margins in 31 constituencies and sought re-elections.
Election Commission Position
The commission said the comparison was speculative and that, after excluding ineligible ASDD entries, deletions did not establish that results had changed.
Meaning of voter deletions
Trinamool Congress Position
The application treated the deletions as effective disenfranchisement affecting electoral prospects.
Election Commission Position
The commission said including absentee, shifted, dead and duplicate entries was misleading and incorrectly portrayed all removals as disenfranchisement.
Legal challenge to elections
Trinamool Congress Position
The application sought to set aside results and hold re-elections in the identified constituencies.
Election Commission Position
The commission cited Article 329(B), stating that elections can be challenged only through an election petition in the legally prescribed manner.
Key facts
- Application
- Derek O’Brien sought re-elections in 31 West Bengal constituencies.
- Commission’s finding
- The Election Commission said the SIR did not materially alter results against the Trinamool Congress.
- Trinamool victories cited
- The commission said the party won 21 constituencies where deletions exceeded the winning margin.
- Total appeals
- 38,31,429 appeals were filed against exclusions and inclusions.
- Adjudicated appeals
- 1,26,194 appeals had been adjudicated.
- Pending appeals
- 37,05,235 appeals remained pending.
- Proposed response
- The commission suggested increasing the number of appellate tribunals from 19.
Quotes
Election Commission of India
India’s constitutional body responsible for administering elections
“The selective and inconsistent application of an inherently flawed and speculative yardstick, therefore, exposes the self-serving and mala fide nature of the present application,”
telegraphindia.com
“the Applicant would, therefore, equally have to seek setting aside of the election results in those constituencies won by its own party candidates.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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