‘Grow A Spine or Resign’ Civil society groups tell Election Commission
Bengaluru (Press Release): Several groups concerned with democratic rights undertook a joint campaign to hold the ECI accountable for its inaction against violations of the MCC and laws during the Lok Sabha elections.
On Saturday, a joint complaint was submitted through the offices of the Chief Electoral Officers in different cities like Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad and others, and a letter was also submitted to the office of the Chief Election Commissioner in Delhi. This collective of organisations and concerned citizens also undertook a postcard campaign in which hundreds of postcards were sent to ECI, Delhi from various cities containing the image of a spine - thereby demanding the Election Commission to ‘Grow A Spine or Resign’.
The issues in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections highlighted by the group in the letter submitted are:
1) Voter turnout data shared only in percentages and not in numbers, raising concerns about manipulation of vote count
In 2019, reports indicated discrepancies between votes polled and votes counted in the Lok Sabha elections in 373 constituencies, including a surplus of more than 18,000 in Kancheepuram, 14,512 in Sriperumbudur, etc. So far the ECI has not explained the discrepancy. This time around, the ECI has refused to share the data about votes polled, instead sharing only the percentage of votes polled. This is leading to fears of vote counts being manipulated
2) Failure to combat hate speech during elections
Mr. Modi has made several speeches which pit communities against one another and promote hatred between communities on religious lines. This amounts to a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, amounts to a corrupt practice under the Representation of People’s Act and is a violation of the ECIs advisory to political parties. So far Mr.Modi, who is a star campaigner has not even been served a notice. Similarly, BJP has released several videos which are again spreading hatred.In Karnataka, an FIR was registered over the hate filled video, but it was not taken down till the voting got done in Karnataka. No action has been taken against the BJP for using religious symbols, or for all their hate speeches. No action has been taken against the BJP for distorting points from opposition parties' manifestos as well. BJP leaders have done this in speeches, BJP has issued ads which distorted information but faced no punitive action.
3) Acting only against MCC violations by opposition parties but letting the ruling party of the hook
Mr.RandeepSurjewala of the Congress, Mr.K.Chandrashekhar Rao of the BRS have been banned from campaigning for 48 hours over MCC violations. But more serious violations by the BJP have been ignored.
4) Failure to take action against surrogate ads
It has been reported that the expenditure on surrogate advertising and targeted online campaigns by political actors to influence voter perception and beliefs are not under adequate scrutiny. The ECI must ensure accountability of political parties and digital platforms by adopting rights-based standards for regulating political expenditure on online ads and targeted campaigning. The ECI has also failed to disclose any action taken on such surrogate advertisements.
Although it has earlier been brought to the attention of your office the manner in which technology affects electoral outcomes including use of deepfakes and voter surveillance, the ECI has not responded or taken adequate action to secure these violations.
5) Failure to address the withdrawal of candidates, threats to candidates
Several candidates have reported threats by the BJP - In Gandhinagar and elsewhere. Some candidates have switched over to the BJP at the last minute. In Surat and Indore, there were no elections held and winners declared. This is a subversion of democracy. Threatening a candidate or promising incentives to withdraw are corrupt practices under the Representation of People Act. However, ECI has neither conducted any inquiry not taken any action
Therefore, the following organisations joined hands to undertake a national level campaign on May 11th, across several cities. Along with these organisations, the letter was signed by 222 people from various walks of life, including lawyers, activists, filmmakers, academics and concerned citizens.
- People’s Union for Civil Liberties
- National Alliance for People's Movements
- Bahutva Karnataka
- All India Lawyers Association for Justice
- Shramik Mukti Dal
- Young Leaders of Active Citizenship
- Bharat BachaoAndolan
- Prashant
- Hate Speech Beda
- New Trade Union Initiative
- Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy
- Citizens for the Constitution
- The Bombay Catholic Sabha
- Centre for promoting Democracy
- PaniHaq Samiti
- NaavedduNilladiddare
- Association for Protection of Civil Rights
- Fridays for Future
- Delhi Solidarity Group
- Eddelu Karnataka
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Nearly 91 lakh names deleted from Bengal electoral rolls after judicial scrutiny under SIR
Kolkata (PTI): Nearly 91 lakh voters have been deleted from the electoral rolls in West Bengal following the Special Intensive Revision exercise in the state, according to data released by the Election Commission.
The poll panel is yet to officially announce the finally altered voter base for the state after the roll revision process.
From the available figures, however, the total deletion in the state at this point, based on the 7.66 crore electors identified at the end of October last year, stands at over 11.85 per cent.
The final deletion figure, since the beginning of the SIR process, stood at a little over 90.83 lakh.
Over 27.16 lakh of 60.06 lakh 'under adjudication' voters have been deleted during the now-concluded scrutiny by judicial officers, the EC data said.
The figure shows that some 45.22 per cent of the cases under judicial scrutiny following the publication of the post-SIR electoral rolls on February 28 were deleted.
More than 32.68 lakh of those in the 'under adjudication' category have been retained and included in the final rolls.
The EC figures showed that maximum deletions were recorded in the Muslim-majority district of Murshidabad, where over 4.55 lakhs of the 11.01 lakh names under judicial scrutiny were removed from the electoral rolls, taking the under-adjudication deletion figure in the district to around 41.33 per cent.
Significant deletions were also recorded in the Bangladesh-bordering North 24 Parganas district, where over 3.25 lakhs of the 5.91 lakh under-scrutiny electors were found not eligible to vote, and in Malda, where over 2.39 lakhs of the 8.28 lakh under judicial review voters were deleted.
The deletion figures following adjudication in South 24 Parganas district stood at nearly 2.23 lakhs, in Purba Bardhaman district at 2.09 lakhs and in Nadia at 2.98 lakhs, the EC data said.
In terms of percentage, post-adjudication deletions in Nadia and North 24 Parganas – districts which are perceptively dominated by the Hindu namashudra Matua community members – were at a whopping 77.86 per cent and 55.08 per cent respectively.
Over 28,000 voters were deleted in Kolkata South, which comprises Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Bhabanipur assembly constituency, pegging the deletion percentage during adjudications at 36.19.
Some 39,000 under-scrutiny voters in Kolkata North were found not eligible to vote, pinning the deletion percentage there at nearly 64.
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According to official data released on February 28, 63.66 lakh names, around 8.3 per cent of the electorate, were deleted since the SIR process began in November last year, reducing the voter base from about 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore.
More than 60.06 lakh electors, who were placed in the "under adjudication" category, were part of the 7.04 crore voter base.
Voters, aggrieved with their name deletions from the final rolls, have the option to move the tribunals, specially set up under Supreme Court orders in the state, but there is no clarity yet on whether electors found eligible by the tribunal judges will be able to exercise their franchise in the upcoming polls.
“The revision exercise has been carried out in a phased and transparent manner. District-wise data has now been placed in the public domain to ensure complete accountability," a senior EC official said.
Of 60,06 lakh voters under adjudication, data for 59.84 lakh have been formally published, and the remaining 22,163 cases have been disposed of but are yet to be e-signed, he said.
“Once the pending procedural formalities, including e-signatures, are completed, there may be marginal changes in both deletion and inclusion figures,” the official explained.
The entire exercise has been undertaken in compliance with established guidelines, he said.
"Any further inclusion at this stage will be subject to legal provisions and directions, if any, from competent authorities," the official said.
Meanwhile, with the publication of the final supplementary list, the electoral roll for the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections has been “frozen” after midnight on Monday in accordance with prescribed norms, he said.
Of the 294 seats in the assembly, 152 seats will go to the polls on April 23 in the first phase, and the remaining 142 seats will vote in the second phase on April 29. The rolls for the second round will be frozen on April 9.
“There will be no further inclusion in the electoral roll at this stage. The list stands frozen as per law following the last date of nomination for the first phase,” a senior Election Commission official told PTI.
“Any change in this list will depend solely on fresh directions, if any, from the Supreme Court," he said.
The Apex court, before which the SIR matter for West Bengal is being argued, will be hearing the case next on April 13.
