The Election Commission of India has rejected Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh’ request to be given 1 week’s time to respond to their letter. The ECI has asked the Congress leader to reply by 7 pm today regarding the claims he made earlier.
#UPDATE | ECI rejects Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's request of seeking a time of one week to respond, ECI asked him to reply by 7 pm today. https://t.co/k8sfsqDkW1 pic.twitter.com/OQDds5Q7ya
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2024
“Your allegations that attempts have been made to influence the DMs of around 150 constituencies who are also the ROs/DEOs has serious connotations and direct bearing on the sanctity of the counting process, scheduled for tomorrow”, the letter stated. The ECI asserted that if Jairam Ramesh fails to file his response with details of his claim, it will be understood that he has nothing substantial to make such a claim. In that case the ECI would proceed to take appropriate action, the letter stated.
On Sunday, June 2nd, Jairam Ramesh had claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah dialled 150 District Magistrates (DMs) just days before the counting date. Ramesh had made the claim in a public social media post.
The Election Commission asserted that it has not received a report from any DM that they are experiencing any undue influence, to date. However, it asked the Congress leader to give details so that the issue could be addressed in the “larger public interest”, given the gravity of the allegations leveled by the senior Congress leader.
It is notable here that District Magistrates serve as returning officers during the election process and the claims made by Ramesh were serious in nature.
The ECI letter read, “The process of counting of votes is a sacred duty cast upon every RO (Returning Officer) and such public statements by a senior, responsible and experienced leader tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to be addressed in the larger public interest.”
