Amendment of election rules: Stalin alleges that ECI bowed down to the pressure of BJP government

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin. file Photo credit: S. Shiva Saravanan

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Monday (December 23, 2024) said democracy is facing the biggest threat under the BJP-led central government with the reckless amendment of Article 93(2)(a) of the Election Rules. He claims that this will kill the transparency in the election process.

The move to revise the rules follows a recent directive to the Election Commission of India (ECI) by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to produce all documents related to the Haryana Assembly elections, including CCTV footage from polling booths. The amendment was brought by the central government to prevent public inspection of election documents, including CCTV footage, destroying one of the basic features of the constitution, Mr Stalin said in a social media post.

“Fears of the BJP-led central government have spread beyond Haryana, mirroring the concerns of Maharashtra, where their planned and unholy victory in the recent assembly elections has raised grave apprehensions (sic),” Mr. Stalin alleged.

He added that it was “shocking” that the ECI “willingly bowed to the pressure of Prime Minister Modi’s government” to “distort” the free and fair electoral process instead of fighting for institutional integrity.

He appealed to all political parties, including a section of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), to come forward and “resist this undemocratic attack on free and fair elections.”