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Maharashtra Congress Alleges ECI-Net Misuse, Demands Action Against CEC
Maharashtra Congress has accused the Election Commission’s ECI-Net system of being misused.
The party says local electoral registration officers should decide who can be a voter.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe alleged that some officials used software to sort voters by political preference.
He said different colours were allegedly used for BJP, Opposition and neutral voters.
ECI-Net brings many election-related websites and applications into one system.
The allegations relate partly to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Congress also criticised how the chief election commissioner is selected.
The report does not include a response from the Election Commission or the officials named in the allegations.
Maharashtra Congress demanded action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged misuse of ECI-Net.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said electoral registration officers, including SDMs, should retain authority to determine voter eligibility.
Londhe alleged officials used an online application to classify voters by political preference and create electoral-roll anomalies.
ECI-Net was launched to combine more than 40 Election Commission applications and websites under one platform.
Londhe also criticised changes to the election-commissioner selection process and legal immunity for commissioners.
- Who
- Maharashtra Congress and spokesperson Atul Londhe made the allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and other election officials.
- What
- Congress alleged that ECI-Net diluted electoral registration officers’ powers and was misused to classify voters and create electoral-roll anomalies.
- Where
- Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- When
- The demand was reported on Tuesday, September 29; the report also says ECI-Net was launched earlier in the year.
- Why
- Congress said action was needed to protect the authority of electoral registration officers and the credibility of India’s democracy.
Congress allegations
Election-system position
Authority over voter eligibility
Congress allegations
Atul Londhe said the statutory authority to decide who is a voter rests with the electoral registration officer, or SDM, and alleged that ECI-Net diluted this power.
Election-system position
The report describes ECI-Net as a platform for bringing more than 40 Election Commission applications and websites under one umbrella, but it does not provide a response addressing Congress’s allegations.
Use of voter-classification software
Congress allegations
Londhe alleged that an online application was given to party workers to classify voters by political affiliation using different colours.
Election-system position
No Election Commission response or independent verification of the alleged colour-based classification is included in the report.
Election Commission decision-making
Congress allegations
Congress accused Gyanesh Kumar of taking unilateral decisions favouring the ruling establishment and demanded action against him.
Election-system position
The report says the allegations followed claims that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected to decisions concerning the Special Intensive Revision, but it includes no detailed response from Kumar or the Election Commission.
Key facts
- Main claimant
- Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe
- Official targeted
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar
- System involved
- ECI-Net, a platform combining more than 40 Election Commission applications and websites
- Statutory authority cited
- The electoral registration officer, identified by Londhe as the sub-divisional magistrate
- Election process referenced
- Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Alleged voter classification
- Londhe claimed saffron, another colour and blue represented BJP voters, Opposition voters and neutral voters respectively
- Other criticism
- Congress criticised changes to the election-commissioner selection committee and legal immunity for commissioners
Quotes
Atul Londhe
Maharashtra Congress spokesperson
“If there are anomalies or discrepancies, the statutory authority to decide who is a voter and who is not rests with the ERO, that is, the SDM.”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
“These allegations and the evidence now emerging provide an explanation for the issues party leader Rahul Gandhi had raised earlier.”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
Sources
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