Mumbai: CM Devendra Fadnavis said the fake narrative of the CJP and the opposition about the EC was busted when the three election commissioners held a joint press conference recently. Referring to the CJP protest held in Mumbai on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti , Fadnavis said, “Attempts are on to continue with the fake narrative, but they will not succeed.”
Therefore, there is no constitutional basis for holding an agitation in the name of SIR,” Shelar said. “The Election Commission announced the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in a transparent manner and as per a clearly defined procedure.
Later, holding a press conference at the state BJP headquarters, minister Ashish Shelar termed the CJP as “andolan jeevi” and said their demonstration is, in the words of Dr B R Ambedkar, “the grammar of anarchy”. He alleged the CJP is holding demonstrations to benefit the Congress party . Political parties and citizens have been informed about the process.
Shelar claimed the opposition’s criticism of EC started following US President Donald Trump’s appreciation of India’s electoral process and representatives from 22 countries who came to study the process in April appreciated it.
Defending the SIR process, Shelar said necessary safeguards have been put in place to ensure no eligible citizen’s name is deleted from the electoral rolls. The opposition should not attempt to create confusion among citizens regarding an electoral process being implemented through lakhs of administrative officers and employees,” he said. “Those whose names are subject to any objections will also have an opportunity to present their case. He accused the Congress and other parties of repeatedly levelling allegations against the BJP and the govt on the issue when the EC is an independent constitutional institution and any questions regarding its procedures should be raised through the institutional mechanisms available.