Election Commission’s independence ‘severely compromised’ by PM-HM duo: Congress

Allegations of Election Commission compromise by PM and HM overshadow National Voters' Day celebrations, says Congress.

The Congress hit out at the Election Commission on Saturday (January 25, 2025), saying the "self-congratulation" on National Voters' Day would not obscure the fact that the poll panel as it has been functioning makes a "mockery" of the Constitution and is an insult to the voters themselves.

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The Opposition party also alleged that over the past decade, the professionalism and independence of the Election Commission has been "severely compromised" by the duo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The National Voters' Day has been celebrated for the past 15 years to mark the inception of the Election Commission (EC) on January 25, 1950, a day before India became a republic.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "There will be a lot of self-congratulation today but that will not obscure the fact that the Election Commission as it has been functioning makes a mockery of the Constitution and is an insult to the voters themselves." "Today has been celebrated as National Voters Day since 2011 to mark the day on which the Election Commission came into being 75 years ago on Jan 25th, 1950," he noted.

The Election Commission is a Constitutional body and its first Chairman was the legendary Sukumar Sen whose role in establishing the foundations of our electoral democracy was crucial, Mr. Ramesh said.

"He was the sole Chief Election Commissioner for eight years. His 'Report on the First General Elections in India 1951-52' is a classic. But the preparations of the draft electoral roll for the first elections had been completed before Sen took over," he said.