New Delhi, May 10: A delegation of opposition party leaders on Friday met the top brass of Election Commission to raise its concerns over poll code violations by the ruling party leaders, and also flagged concerns over delay in release of voter turnout figures for the first two phases of the polls.
At the meeting that came soon after the poll panel issued a strongly worded statement, in which it termed as “regrettable” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's letter to opposition on the delay, the opposition leaders alleged that “no meaningful action” has been taken by the EC to penalise those who are guilty in the ruling party.
Samajwadi Party leader Javed Ali, meanwhile, raised the issue of a “red card” being issued by the Uttar Pradesh Police to people in the state, which they said is stopping many of them from exercising their franchise.
The delegation included Congress leaders Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Salman Khurshid, TMC's Derek O'Brien, DMK's TR Baalu, JMM's Mahua Majhi, CPI's Binoy Viswam, and Ali among others.
A seven-page memorandum submitted by the opposition leaders said the ongoing election has witnessed the “most egregious and blatant violations of electoral laws ever committed by those in the ruling party” adding that the violations are being made by “those occupying the highest constitutional offices.”
“Despite documented evidence being catalogued and placed before this Hon'ble Commission, no meaningful action has been taken to penalize those who are guilty in the ruling regime,” the opposition's memorandum said, adding that it has resulted in unchecked and brazen continuation of these violations.
Briefing the media after the meeting that lasted around 45 minutes, Singhvi said there was “great trust deficit, question marks and a feeling of alarm and distress” on the poll panel not acting on opposition's complaints of model code violations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
