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INDIA Bloc Awaits President’s Response to Meeting Request
The INDIA bloc is a group of opposition parties.
It asked President Droupadi Murmu for a meeting.
K C Venugopal said the group had not yet received an answer.
The first request was sent on October 2, and another request with the attendees’ names was sent on October 5.
The bloc asked to meet on October 7, 8 or 9.
It wants to discuss changes to voter lists called the Special Intensive Revision.
The bloc also plans rallies and marches.
The Election Commission said disagreements among its members can happen and that its decisions follow the law.
The INDIA bloc has asked President Droupadi Murmu for a meeting and was still awaiting a response, K C Venugopal said.
Venugopal said the first request was sent October 2; a renewed request with attendees’ names followed October 5.
The bloc sought an appointment on October 7, 8 or 9 and said it would wait until Friday.
The bloc plans rallies and “save democracy” marches over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The Election Commission said differing views among commissioners are normal and its orders follow statutory procedures.
- Who
- The INDIA bloc, including leaders from several opposition parties, requested a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu.
- What
- The bloc is seeking an appointment to make a representation concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Where
- New Delhi; the request was sent to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- When
- The first request was sent October 2 and resubmitted October 5; the bloc sought a meeting on October 7, 8 or 9. Venugopal said on Thursday it would wait until Friday.
- Why
- The bloc wants to raise concerns about the Special Intensive Revision and what Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called the “vote chori government.”
INDIA Bloc
Election Commission
Disagreements over the electoral-roll revision
INDIA Bloc
The bloc sought a presidential meeting and plans public actions over the Special Intensive Revision; its leaders said they would make a representation against what Kharge called the “vote chori government.”
Election Commission
The Election Commission said differing views and observations are normal in institutional deliberations, and that its orders have legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
Commissioners’ objections
INDIA Bloc
The bloc’s decision to seek a meeting followed an Indian Express report that two election commissioners had objected on record at least 14 times, mostly over SIR-related decisions and orders.
Election Commission
The Election Commission maintained that differences among commissioners are a normal part of deliberations and defended the legality and procedures behind its orders.
Key facts
- President
- Droupadi Murmu
- Bloc representative quoted
- K C Venugopal, Congress general secretary (organisation)
- Initial request
- Sent October 2
- Resubmitted request
- Sent October 5 with the names of leaders expected to attend
- Requested meeting dates
- October 7, 8 or 9
- Planned action
- Rallies and “save democracy” marches over the Special Intensive Revision row
- Election Commission response
- It said differing views are normal and its orders carry legal sanction and follow statutory procedures.
Quotes
K C Venugopal
Congress general secretary (organisation)
“Accordingly, we submitted the request again on October 5, along with the names, seeking an appointment on October 7, 8 or 9.”
theprint.in
deccanchronicle.com
“So far, we have received no response. We will wait until Friday.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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