NEW DELHI, Feb 4: Amidst accusations from the Aam Aadmi Party that Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is unduly influencing the Election Commission, the poll authority responded on Tuesday by emphasizing that it operates as a three-member entity which has collectively noted “repeated deliberate pressure tactics” aimed at discrediting the election body during the Delhi elections.
It clarified that there is a false impression being propagated that the EC functions as a single-member organization.
In a statement posted on X, the Election Commission expressed its commitment to maintaining constitutional restraint and handling such criticisms with wisdom and composure, refusing to be influenced by these allegations.
Senior leaders of the AAP, including convenor Arvind Kejriwal, have accused the EC of overlooking the BJP’s alleged breaches of the electoral code.
Kejriwal has suggested that Kumar is refraining from taking action against the BJP in anticipation of a post-retirement position.
Kumar will retire on February 18 upon reaching the age of 65 years.
Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu are the other two election commissioners.
“The 3-member Commission collectively noted repeated deliberate pressure tactics to malign ECI in Delhi Elections, as if it is a single member body, and decided to have constitutional restraint, absorbing such outbursts with sagacity, stoically and not to be swayed by such insinuations,” stated the poll authority in a rare official response.
Delhi’s elections are set for Wednesday, with the AAP aiming to maintain power while the BJP seeks to establish the next government. (PTI)
