EC asks Jairam Ramesh to substantiate claims of HM’s intimidation calls ahead of vote counting
Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate during a press conference. Pic/PTI
The Election Commission (EC) sought factual information from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday on his claim that Home Minister Amit Shah has called up 150 district magistrates and collectors ahead of the June 4 counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls. In a letter to Ramesh, the poll panel has asked him to share details regarding his claim by 7 pm on Sunday.
The EC has referred to his post on X on June 1, in which the Congress general secretary had alleged that “the outgoing Home Minister has been calling up DMs/Collectors. So far, he has spoken to 150 of them. This is blatant and brazen intimidation, showing how desperate the BJP is....” The process of counting votes is a sacred duty cast upon every returning officer and such public statements “tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to be addressed in larger public interest”, the EC has told Ramesh.
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It has also told the Congress leader that when the Model Code of Conduct is in force, all officers are under the deemed deputation of the commission and they report directly to the poll watchdog for any directions. “However, no DM has reported any such undue influence as alleged by you...,” the EC’s letter to Ramesh has stated.
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