Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly countered the opposition's doubts about the credibility of the Election Commission (EC). He stated that the EC has become a truly independent institution under the BJP government. Modi dismissed the opposition's arguments, emphasizing that the EC is more independent now than ever before. Without directly naming the Congress party, Modi criticized the past when the EC had only one member for about 50-60 years and alleged that people close to one party were appointed as election commissioners.
The Prime Minister's comments come in response to repeated allegations by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that the EC is favoring the BJP. Modi's statements were made during a special interview with India Today TV. He pointed out that in the past, officials who served in the EC later became governors, MPs, or even contested Lok Sabha elections against BJP leaders like L.K. Advani. He referenced former Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan, who contested against Advani in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket but lost.
Modi also addressed Congress' concerns about discrepancies in voting percentage data released by the EC for the first and second phases of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He suggested that such issues should be discussed by experts. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had recently questioned the delay in the final data release for the first and second phases of Lok Sabha polling, sparking controversy. The EC has denied any misuse, explaining that no malpractices occurred. Additionally, Modi recalled the abrupt resignation of former Election Commissioner Arun Goel in March, just before the election schedule was announced, which had also drawn criticism from opposition parties.
