- 4 minutes ago
A massive political conflict has erupted following reported internal divisions within the Election Commission of India. Opposition parties led by Rahul Gandhi have demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of electoral manipulation and functioning under the protection of the central government. The INDIA bloc is drafting a notice for an impeachment motion against the CEC, alongside police complaints and ultimatums from political outfits. In response, the BJP has dismissed allegations of vote theft, attributing election outcomes to strong anti-incumbency against the Congress and defending the centralisation of electoral roll data under data protection frameworks. Panelists on the debate scrutinised media reports alleging that two election commissioners registered fourteen objections across ten months regarding the Special Intensive Revision exercise, voter deletions, and Form 6 procedures. While former CEC O.P. Rawat highlighted that commissioners possess majority decision-making powers and internal differences remain routine, analysts emphasised the need for the commission to address public concerns directly.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Good evening, you're watching NewsTrack with me, Maria Shaquille.
00:03What began as a reported rift within the poll panel has now snowballed into a full-blown political war.
00:10Rahul Gandhi led the opposition's charge, launching a frontal attack on the BJP,
00:15Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar.
00:21Calling the CEC a desh drohi, Rahul Gandhi said, Gyanesh Kumar must turn approver and resign.
00:28He also accused the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of vote theft and called them Gyanesh Kumar's protectors.
00:36This comes as the India bloc prepares an impeachment motion against the CEC Gyanesh Kumar,
00:43while the CJP has issued a 48-hour resignation ultimatum.
00:47The BJP has countered the vote-tory charge, saying there is anti-incumbency against the Congress
00:53and that the SIR exercise has rattled the opposition.
00:56As the political bickering escalates, the question now is, will Gyanesh Kumar step down?
01:04Or will the opposition's attempt to bring an impeachment motion against him fall apart yet again?
01:12Before I bring in the guests, here's a report.
01:16I want you to listen to these videos carefully.
01:44A big charge by the leader of opposition, In Lok Sabha.
01:48Now, BJP wants to stay in power for 50 years and Gyanesh Kumar is helping them do the same.
01:54Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says Indian elections since Gyanesh Kumar took charge have been rigged.
02:11He has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of protecting Gyanesh Kumar.
02:18Rahul also said Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will be investigated
02:23for election fraud and call them all Deshdu Rohis.
02:29And the reason nothing happened
02:35to all their letters
02:37was because there was a protector of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar
02:40or protectors of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar sitting on top of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar.
02:45He asserted that Gyanesh Kumar has acted against the nation and his time is up.
02:53Is Mr. Gyanesh Kumar must resign immediately?
02:58As Rahul leads the opposition's charge,
03:00the opposition is also preparing
03:02to move a fresh impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
03:07Congress sources have told India today
03:09the notice for the motion is being drafted
03:11and could be submitted in Parliament as early as next week.
03:16I have come today to the Parliament Street Police Station
03:19and given a complaint to the police station here
03:23against Chor Gyanesh Kumar,
03:25Gyanesh Chor Kumar,
03:27the sorry figure who is the
03:29Chief Election Commissioner of this country.
03:32And apparently he enjoys immunity
03:35under the CEC and EC Act of 2023, Section 16,
03:39which says that the Election Commissioners enjoy immunity
03:42from civil and criminal prosecution
03:43in the discharge of their duties.
04:13Remember, Gyanesh Kumar has come under fire
04:15over an Indian Express report which revealed repeated objections
04:19from two election commissioners over the SIR exercise,
04:23raising questions over changes to Form 6,
04:26control of electoral roll data
04:28and the way the voter deletion appeals were filed in Bengal.
04:34Fourteen objections in ten months,
04:37a political storm outside
04:39and a denial of any internal rift within the election commission.
04:43EC says it views differing opinions
04:46as a normal part of its internal checks and balances.
04:50The BJP, which is also in the eye of the storm,
04:53has backed the poll panel.
04:54The BJP said there is anti-incumbency against the Congress
04:58and rejected the opposition allegation
05:00that Gyanesh Kumar's appointment as CEC
05:03has been advantageous to the Safran Party.
05:28Earlier, BJP had cited how past election commissioners
05:32in the U.P.A. era were given prestigious awards and top positions
05:35alleging those who are meant to benefit the Congress.
05:39From KVK Sundaram to RK Trivedi,
05:42from MS Gill to Naveen Chawla,
05:44the party cited many names to target the Congress.
06:12What authority did Sonia have?
06:16The express report has opened up a Pandora's box
06:19and the war of words have just begun
06:22and will continue.
06:24Bureau Report, India Today.
06:29And joining me on the show tonight,
06:31U.P. Rawat, former Chief Election Commissioner of India,
06:34is joining us.
06:35Siddharth Yadav is National Spokesperson of the BJP
06:38and also the Advocate of the Supreme Court.
06:40We have Dr. Nishant Anand,
06:42who is also the Advocate of the Supreme Court
06:44and National Spokesperson of the Congress Party.
06:46And Rajat Sethi is a Political Analyst.
06:49I'm going to begin with you, Mr. Rawat.
06:51The Congress is asking for resignation.
06:55The entire opposition says
06:57that the present CEC's position has become untenable.
07:02Is it so?
07:04I personally feel that the matter is in the hands of CEC.
07:12if he takes both his colleagues into confidence,
07:16sit down together,
07:18irons out all the misgivings
07:20and makes a clean slate
07:23in front of public through media
07:24as early as possible.
07:27Things will be very different.
07:32If there is no criminality involved,
07:34then why is this position making...
07:39Then why is the opposition here saying
07:41that he should resign?
07:42Why should CEC resign here?
07:45If it's about difference of opinion,
07:47and Mr. Rawat,
07:48you were on the show yesterday,
07:49you were of the opinion
07:50that during your tenure also,
07:53there were difference of opinion
07:55within the commission.
07:57And that the final decision
07:58is always taken unanimously.
08:00Then what really is the issue here?
08:04Such differences of opinion
08:06are always there on many issues.
08:09And the three brains put together
08:11bring a lot of intelligent inputs
08:14on the table.
08:16And when every one of them
08:19understands each other's point of view
08:21and come to a consensus,
08:23then a valuable decision is taken.
08:26And therefore,
08:27the process is all right.
08:28And that is what is claimed
08:29by the ECI's press note.
08:32Okay.
08:32Let me bring in Dr. Nishant.
08:35Nishant Anand,
08:36help us understand
08:37why is the Congress Party
08:38demanding resignation
08:39of Gyanesh Kumar?
08:42Hi.
08:43Good evening to all.
08:43See, first I'll start by saying
08:45vote churi is a crime
08:46against the Indian people
08:49and a direct attack
08:50on our constitution.
08:51And I'll give you a few records.
08:5313 crore voter names
08:54has been removed
08:55nationally under SIR.
08:57Today, the question
08:58is not just about the vote churi.
09:00The question is about
09:01the government takeover
09:02of India, democracy
09:03and its institutions.
09:05The election commission
09:06is the baby.
09:07And the Gyanesh Kumar
09:08is the bathwater.
09:09On Gyanesh Kumar vote churi,
09:11the BJP has already done
09:12two press conferences yesterday.
09:14But the EC,
09:15the election commission
09:16hasn't come forward
09:17even once.
09:18There's no dialogue
09:18or no one's
09:19not come forward.
09:21Understand how serious
09:22the matter is.
09:23The dealer,
09:24the election commission
09:25has stepped aside
09:26and the client,
09:27BJP,
09:27has shown up directly.
09:29Rahul Gandhi
09:30clearly stated
09:31he questioned the change
09:32in the way
09:33election commissioners
09:34are appointed.
09:35He challenged
09:36the lifelong immunity
09:37granted to EC.
09:39He exposed vote churi
09:40multiple times.
09:42He campaigned
09:43against the SIR.
09:44Every time
09:45his warnings
09:46were dismissed
09:46as fabrications.
09:48On vote churi,
09:49what we have been saying
09:50has been acknowledged
09:51by the two election commissioners.
09:53How?
09:54We also said...
09:55How?
09:56How are
09:58the two election commissioners,
10:00Mr. Sandhu
10:01and Mr. Joshu,
10:02acknowledging
10:02that there is vote churi?
10:04Let me answer.
10:05Yes.
10:05Sure.
10:05Earlier,
10:06these institutions
10:07denied our claims.
10:08Now it has been acknowledged
10:09by them as said.
10:12What Congress
10:13and Rahul Gandhi
10:13have been saying
10:14for the past three years
10:15is true
10:16that Mr. Gyanesh Kumar
10:18has been helping
10:18in stealing elections.
10:20Two sitting election commissioners
10:23raised 14 objections
10:24over 10 months
10:25to the way electoral process
10:27were being handled.
10:29They always say
10:30anti-incumbency
10:31is the biggest political force
10:33but it never seems
10:34to touch Modi and Shah.
10:35Now two election commissioners
10:37have themselves revealed
10:38the reasons.
10:39Number one,
10:39if Narendra Modi
10:41and Gyanesh Kumar
10:42continue to dismantle
10:44India's voting system,
10:45the Congress
10:46and the entire opposition
10:48will not...
10:49because the two election commissioners
10:51that you're talking about
10:52and O.P. Rawat
10:53who has been
10:54a CEC himself
10:56is of the opinion
10:57that this is how
10:58the election commission
10:59functions.
11:00That there are disagreements
11:01at multiple stages
11:02during the discussion process
11:03and when the final discussion
11:05happens,
11:06final decision is taken,
11:07it's taken unanimously.
11:08But I agree with you
11:09on one point.
11:10That why is the election commission
11:12not doing a press conference?
11:14That why is it that the BJP
11:16is coming out in defense
11:17of election commission?
11:18Siddharth Yadav,
11:19respond to that.
11:20No, one moment.
11:21Siddharth Yadav,
11:22respond to that.
11:23Why is the BJP
11:24responding to all the charges
11:26which are being raised
11:27about functioning
11:28of a constitutional body,
11:30an independent
11:31constitutional body
11:32which should be responding
11:33to all the charges
11:35which are being raised now
11:37about its functioning?
11:39Good evening, Maria.
11:40Good evening to all your viewers.
11:42Maria,
11:43neither I'm here
11:43to defend the election commission
11:45nor I'm here
11:46to answer on behalf
11:47of the election commission
11:48nor BJP has been doing so.
11:50But if you would hear
11:51the charges made
11:52by the opposition,
11:53you would understand
11:54that there are not
11:54any charges,
11:56any proofs against
11:56the election commission.
11:57It's a rhetoric building,
12:00narrative building exercise
12:01that's happening
12:02against the BJP.
12:03So when Rahul Gandhi
12:04comes out and says
12:05that, oh,
12:05we have proofs for everything
12:06and now we can prove everything
12:08and it was the BJP
12:09who was giving instructions
12:10upon whom
12:11X, Y, Z was happening
12:13and people are unable
12:14to understand
12:15that if you have proofs
12:17then go to the court
12:17and prove it.
12:18You are accusing the BJP
12:20and therefore BJP
12:21has to answer.
12:22Now, I'll give you
12:23just two pinpointed answers.
12:25Number one,
12:26I can't understand
12:27the entire fiasco,
12:30the entire argument
12:31of why Rahul Gandhi
12:32would say,
12:33you know,
12:34what is anti-incumbency?
12:36I can't understand
12:37anti-incumbency.
12:3816 times in a row,
12:40they have won
12:4113 times in a row,
12:43they have won Amethi.
12:44What happened to the argument
12:45of anti-incumbency there?
12:46Leave that.
12:47I'll flip the coin.
12:48I'll flip the coin.
12:49For decades,
12:50they have been out of power
12:51in Tamil Nadu.
12:52For decades,
12:53they have been out of power
12:54in Bengal.
12:55For decades,
12:55they have been out of power
12:56in BR.
12:57Long before BJP
12:58was in power.
12:59What happened to the question
13:00of who's winning elections?
13:02Let me give you
13:03another example.
13:04Now, when they say
13:05what sure is happening?
13:06You know,
13:06my learned friends
13:07from the Congress Party
13:07are also saying
13:08for I don't know
13:09how this conclusion
13:10is coming out.
13:10from whatever reports
13:12have come out
13:13that vote show is happening.
13:14The 20 seats
13:15in West Bengal
13:16where voters
13:18were deleted
13:19in the highest form,
13:20out of them,
13:2213 were won by TMC,
13:24one was won by Congress,
13:25only six by BJP.
13:27So, where voters
13:28are deleted
13:28to the highest extent,
13:30it's the TMC winning.
13:31But this is not the issue,
13:33Maria.
13:33The issue is
13:34why is the opposition
13:36and Congress Party
13:37trying to delegitimize
13:39constitutional institutions
13:41in the country?
13:41Why is this attack
13:43on the trust
13:44that Indian people have
13:45on how our democracy functions?
13:48And the reason simply
13:49is the frustration
13:50of losing elections
13:51after elections
13:54has now gotten
13:55to the head
13:55of Rahul Gandhi.
13:57Now, he can't understand
13:58how do you justify
13:58that you are losing elections,
14:00you are unable
14:01to win the trust
14:02of the people,
14:03you are unable
14:03to gather support
14:04from the people,
14:05and then you have
14:06to do something.
14:06But this is most unfortunate.
14:08This is disservice
14:09to the country.
14:10If anybody chooses
14:11that you can't take
14:13order from the losses
14:13and then you question
14:15the election commission.
14:15If the CEC
14:16is facing
14:18all the questions,
14:20then he should come out
14:21and clarify,
14:21which hasn't happened.
14:23That's why...
14:25Maria, he should come out
14:27five times,
14:28he should come out
14:2820 times.
14:29Not my prerogative
14:30to answer.
14:31Election commission
14:32is a constitutional body.
14:34Independent constitutional body,
14:36they must come clean
14:37about all the charge
14:38that is being levelled.
14:39I agree with you.
14:40Maria, I'm here
14:40to answer on logic.
14:42I'm here to answer
14:43on basic logic.
14:43You are saying
14:44about anti-incremency.
14:46That's why I want
14:46to take opening comments
14:47also from Rajat Sethi
14:49and then I'll go back
14:49to the functioning
14:50of this body
14:51and that's where
14:53Rupi Rawat
14:53will be coming in.
14:54But Rajat Sethi,
14:57I'm trying to understand
14:58that this is not
15:00really a storm
15:01in the teacup.
15:01Let's be clear.
15:02this time
15:03there is
15:04much more
15:06than what
15:07meets the eye.
15:09It's evident
15:10that
15:10the entire opposition
15:12is going after
15:13Gyanesh Kumar.
15:14So let me ask
15:15that question
15:16as a political analyst
15:17to you.
15:17Has his position
15:19become untenable?
15:23I think, you know,
15:25the benefit of doubt
15:26must go to the CEC
15:29at this stage
15:30till he does not
15:30come out
15:31and at least
15:31say something
15:32because the other
15:33side of the story
15:34is completely absent.
15:36You know,
15:37his position
15:38will become
15:39further untenable
15:39if even for like
15:41the next 10 days,
15:4315 days,
15:44he just does not
15:44step out
15:44and clarify the air.
15:46Do you think
15:47he should?
15:47Do you think he should?
15:47If that's the situation.
15:48Rajat, he should?
15:49A press release
15:50is not good enough?
15:51There is no doubt
15:51about it.
15:52Who absolutely
15:53needs to come in
15:53not just alone
15:54but the entire
15:55election commission
15:56should come in
15:56and at least
15:57put forth
15:58that all the
15:59decisions
15:59that have been
16:00called
16:01as that there
16:02was no consensus
16:03or perhaps
16:03there was no majority
16:04should bring in
16:05all the fight
16:06and say that
16:06yes,
16:07there was consensus
16:08or there was majority
16:09and therefore
16:10all these orders
16:12had the sanctity
16:13and the approval
16:14of the full
16:15election commission
16:16by way of majority
16:17or unanimity
16:18does him matter
16:18but that has to
16:20happen in
16:21life rest
16:22before everybody
16:23before the people
16:24of this country.
16:24They cannot be
16:25running away
16:26therefore till the time
16:27the other side
16:28of the story
16:29doesn't come in
16:30I'm of the view
16:31that immediately
16:32asking for his
16:33resignation
16:33is against
16:34natural justice.
16:35He should be
16:36given time
16:37to present
16:38his perspective
16:39and if the
16:40allegations
16:40that have been
16:40put forth
16:41by the Indian
16:42Express report
16:43if it turns out
16:44to be true
16:45then yes,
16:45the follow-on
16:46actions
16:46could be
16:47dismissal
16:48or resignation
16:49on his own.
16:50But again,
16:51whether it is a
16:51storm or not
16:52needs to be seen
16:53after we hear
16:53the other side
16:54of the story.
16:55Okay,
16:55we should know
16:56the other side
16:56of the story.
16:57So let me bring
16:58in Opie Rawat
16:58again.
16:59Opie Rawat,
17:00one question
17:01which has been
17:02there on my mind
17:03for the last
17:0424 hours
17:05ever since
17:06the first report
17:07came of
17:08Indian Express
17:08that why
17:10is it
17:10that the
17:12two
17:13election
17:14commissioners
17:15are approaching
17:16the cabinet
17:17secretary
17:18when their
17:19reporting
17:20is to
17:21the president
17:22of India.
17:23The reason
17:23why it
17:25doesn't fit
17:25the logic
17:26is because
17:27they had
17:29the veto power
17:30with the
17:30sheer fact
17:31that the
17:32two of them
17:32can override
17:35whatever the
17:36decision that is
17:36being taken
17:37by the CEC.
17:38Why is it
17:39that that
17:40power was not
17:41exercised when
17:42the power has
17:42been given to
17:43them?
17:45That is
17:46absolutely correct
17:47and that
17:48brings in a
17:50cloud of the
17:51whole matter.
17:53When two
17:53ECs were on
17:55one side
17:55thinking in
17:58similar way
17:59why did they
18:00not refuse
18:02to accept
18:05third person's
18:06dictator,
18:07why did
18:08they not
18:08ask that
18:10whatever
18:10majority view
18:11is that should
18:12be recorded
18:12as the
18:13decision of
18:13the election
18:13commission
18:14and
18:16pursuant action
18:16should be
18:17taken according
18:17to that.
18:18And going to
18:19cabinet secretary
18:20is giving a
18:21wrong signal
18:21that they are
18:22still under the
18:23government.
18:23No,
18:24they are
18:24directly
18:25functioning under
18:26the president
18:27of India.
18:28And therefore,
18:29if at all
18:29they had to
18:31ask for any
18:32redressal of
18:32revanche,
18:33they should go
18:34to president
18:34of India.
18:36Okay,
18:37do you then
18:39say,
18:39do you then
18:40say,
18:41Mr.
18:41Rawat,
18:42that after
18:44the express
18:45report,
18:46the concerns
18:47of the
18:47opposition with
18:48regards to
18:49the electoral
18:50exercise,
18:51with regards to
18:51the elections
18:52that they have
18:53been saying,
18:54is actually
18:55a valid one.
18:56That here is
18:57an institution
18:58which has
18:59centralized power
19:01to the
19:01CEC,
19:02while the
19:03other two
19:03commissioners
19:04have been
19:04raising concerns,
19:05but their
19:06concerns are not
19:06being addressed.
19:08So,
19:10other two
19:11commissioners,
19:12non-initiative,
19:14taking the
19:16bull by the
19:16horns,
19:17when they have
19:17powers,
19:18when majority
19:19is on their
19:20side,
19:21why should it
19:21be taken
19:22against the
19:23dysfunctioning
19:23of election
19:25commission?
19:26That is not
19:27correct.
19:27because if
19:28they had
19:29asserted
19:30that they
19:30have the
19:31power,
19:31majority is
19:32on their
19:32side,
19:33it should
19:33be recorded
19:34according to
19:35this and
19:35personal action
19:36should be
19:36taken according
19:37to their
19:37decision.
19:39Why should
19:39it be
19:40interpreted
19:40as against
19:43the CEC?
19:46Okay,
19:47that's a valid
19:47argument here.
19:48Dr. Nishant,
19:49respond to
19:50that.
19:54Everybody
19:54on the
19:54panel to
19:55remember,
19:55after winning
19:56Bihar elections,
20:04Modi ji was
20:06wearing a
20:07gum cha.
20:08Can you
20:09hear me now?
20:10Yes, there is
20:10a network issue
20:11at your end.
20:11Please go
20:12ahead.
20:14Okay, so I
20:15want to remind
20:15all the viewers,
20:16after winning
20:17the Bihar elections,
20:18Modi ji was
20:19wearing a
20:20gum cha that
20:20was not
20:21given by the
20:22people or
20:22the mandate
20:24of Bihar,
20:24that was
20:25given by the
20:26election commissioner
20:26Gyanesh Kumar.
20:27See,
20:28section 16
20:29of the
20:292023 act
20:31shields the
20:31SEC and the
20:32election commissioners
20:33from any civil
20:34or criminal
20:35proceedings over
20:36official acts
20:36for life.
20:37Why?
20:37It wasn't in
20:38the bill as
20:39introduced.
20:40The government
20:41added in the
20:42amendment in
20:42December 2023,
20:44while 141
20:46opposition MPs
20:47sat suspended
20:48and asking,
20:49after twice asking
20:50to bypass the
20:51mandate, the
20:52government did
20:52not do it.
20:53See, if we
20:53talk about
20:53Haryana, 27
20:55lakh epic
20:56numbers have
20:56been given by
20:57the Congress
20:57Party, but
20:58there was a
20:58difference of
20:5927,000 votes.
21:00If we talk
21:01about Maharashtra,
21:02within six
21:02months after the
21:03Lok Sabha and
21:04the assembly
21:04elections, 49
21:05lakh voters were
21:06deleted and
21:08lakhs of voters
21:09were added.
21:09There is no
21:10answer for it.
21:11You know,
21:11Nishant, as a
21:13journalist who has
21:14covered all these
21:15elections, as a
21:17journalist who
21:17covered the
21:18Bihar elections,
21:19and I come from
21:19this state, what
21:23changed the
21:24election was
21:24completely different
21:25and the fact is
21:27that the India
21:28Bloc or Mahagat
21:28Bandhan was not
21:29even seen to be
21:30fighting the
21:30election.
21:31That is the
21:31truth.
21:32And what
21:33changed the
21:34election was
21:34the 10,000 rupees
21:35which was given
21:38to the women of
21:38Bihar.
21:39That was the
21:40turning point of
21:40the election.
21:41So to say that
21:42there was vote
21:42chori, it was
21:44an election which
21:45was held in two
21:46phases, not even
21:47a single person
21:48you could find.
21:49No, no, no.
21:50I will not take
21:51this in the
21:52context of Bihar
21:53at least.
21:53You can talk
21:54about other
21:54states, but not
21:55in the context
21:56of Bihar.
21:56Two phases, the
21:58election was held
21:58in two phases, not
22:00one in one phase
22:01did the opposition
22:02find any single
22:03person who was
22:04denied the right
22:05to vote.
22:06Okay, let me
22:07answer you.
22:08Yes.
22:09From vote chori
22:10comes kanun chori
22:11and from kanun
22:12chori come
22:13sanstha chori.
22:14This is the
22:14point we are
22:14making.
22:15We are not
22:15talking about
22:15winning and
22:16losing.
22:16We are talking
22:17about the
22:17vote theft, then
22:18the law theft
22:19and the theft
22:19of institutions
22:20themselves.
22:21What happened
22:22to each of the
22:2214 recorded
22:23objections, the
22:24legal basis of
22:25the forms exchange
22:26who authorized
22:27the Goa
22:28deletions, what
22:29the cabinet
22:29secretary letters
22:30actually say?
22:31A day on the
22:32commission hasn't
22:33answered a single
22:34one individually.
22:35We have no
22:36answer.
22:3797 named voters
22:38cleared by their
22:39own election
22:40registration officer
22:41deleted.
22:42That functioning
22:45of the IT
22:47is a valid
22:49question.
22:50That's a valid
22:51question.
22:52We have been
22:52asking the
22:53opposition.
22:53Yes, that is
22:54the valid
22:54question here.
22:55Siddharth Yadam,
22:56would you take
22:57that question?
22:58You know, how
22:59did centralized
23:01functioning of
23:02the entire
23:04database happen?
23:07Maria, first
23:08of all, I find
23:09it very
23:09fascinating and
23:10whatever specific
23:11questions are
23:11asked from the
23:12Congress party,
23:12they would
23:13jump to
23:14Gamcha or
23:15they would
23:15jump to
23:16Sanstha Chori.
23:17I don't know
23:18what.
23:18You want to
23:19blame Bihar?
23:20You have been
23:20out of power
23:21from Bihar from
23:221990.
23:22Talk about
23:22jumping.
23:23What reasons
23:25would you give
23:25from 1990
23:26until today?
23:28From 1990, the
23:29people of Bihar
23:30have not elected
23:30you.
23:30From 1967, the
23:32people of
23:32Tamil Nadu have
23:33not elected
23:34you.
23:34From 1990, the
23:35people of
23:36Bengal have
23:36not elected
23:36you.
23:37But leave
23:37that apart.
23:38You know, it's
23:39a very serious
23:39debate because
23:40the question is
23:40on the
23:41integrity of
23:41our democratic
23:43institution and
23:43how elections
23:44are conducted.
23:45Now, Maria,
23:46answering the
23:46specific question.
23:48Now, obviously,
23:49the technical
23:49details have to
23:50come from the
23:51election commission
23:52itself.
23:52But what they
23:53have spoken on
23:53the issue is
23:54whenever the
23:55data now which
23:56is being collected
23:57and being stored
23:58digitally in an
23:59app, it is
24:00covered under
24:01the DPDP Act.
24:02If the
24:02Congress Party
24:03suggests, now
24:04they wish to
24:05suggest that, you
24:06know, the
24:06powers have been
24:06taken from the
24:07local officers.
24:08That's not the
24:08case.
24:09That has not
24:10been the case.
24:10The power of
24:11adding or
24:12deleting voters
24:13is with the
24:14EROs, is with
24:15the SDMs, is
24:15with the local
24:16BLO, BLAs.
24:17But the
24:18database is being
24:20maintained centrally
24:20because the
24:21sanctity of the
24:22data has to be
24:23protected.
24:23Now, the
24:24Congress Party
24:24suggests that
24:25all states, all
24:27wards, all
24:29BLOs, all
24:30EROs should
24:31come up with
24:31their own
24:31apps, where
24:33they should
24:33store the
24:33data, and
24:34that app should
24:35particularly be
24:36with them, and
24:37that IT setup has
24:38to be that
24:39localized, then I
24:40don't know what
24:41they are suggesting.
24:42In any developed
24:43economy of the
24:44world, electoral
24:45data is saved
24:47centrally.
24:48Saved centrally.
24:50Nowhere you
24:50would see.
24:51Perhaps Ovi
24:52Rawat will be
24:52able to answer
24:53that.
24:53Ovi Rawat,
24:54respond to
24:54that.
24:56I think he's
24:58telling the
24:58truth.
24:59ERO net or
25:00ECI net,
25:01it is basically
25:02to preserve the
25:04sanctity of the
25:05electoral roll
25:06data, so that
25:07it cannot be
25:08tempered with, it
25:09cannot be
25:10hacked, and it
25:11is protected
25:12from cyber
25:13attacks.
25:15EROs, BLOs,
25:17they perform
25:19their duties
25:19provided under
25:21the law,
25:22addition and
25:23deletions.
25:24They would
25:25furnish to the
25:28ECI net, and
25:29it should be
25:32accepted there.
25:34However, there
25:35was some
25:35glitch.
25:37Sometimes, ECI
25:38net doesn't
25:38work or something
25:39like that happens.
25:41It has not been
25:41made very clear
25:42that for how
25:44many days or
25:46how many weeks
25:47they could not
25:49enter the data
25:50in the ECI
25:51net.
25:51all those
25:52facts are
25:54missing.
25:55A lot of
25:56unanswered
25:57questions valid
25:57here.
25:58Rajat Sethi,
25:5930 seconds.
26:00Here is the
26:00Okrot Janata
26:01party which
26:02has said that
26:03if Mr.
26:04Gyanesh Kumar
26:04doesn't resign in
26:05the next 48
26:06hours, then
26:07they are
26:08launching a
26:09nationwide
26:09agitation.
26:10Do you
26:11think this
26:12is going to
26:13be something
26:14that will
26:15make his
26:15position very
26:16difficult?
26:19No, no.
26:20Again, I don't
26:21have to give
26:22too much
26:22credence.
26:24It's one
26:24thing to go
26:25out and do
26:25an outrage.
26:26You can be
26:27in the business
26:28of outrage
26:28ad nauseum.
26:30Doing
26:31something, fixing
26:32something is
26:32another thing.
26:33They can
26:34bark at
26:34every three
26:35as much as
26:36they like.
26:37Let them do
26:38what they want
26:39to do.
26:39If they want
26:40to build
26:40consciousness
26:40around the
26:41sanctity of
26:42ECE, let
26:43them do it.
26:44Ultimately, it
26:45is an
26:45institution and
26:46the legitimacy
26:46of this
26:47institution which
26:47has to be
26:48protected by
26:48the people
26:49who are
26:49occupying the
26:50important chairs.
26:51Not by
26:51people on the
26:52streets.
26:53People on the
26:53streets can
26:54do the drama.
26:55There is very
26:55little accountability
26:56that is out
26:57there on the
26:57streets.
26:58The real
26:58accountability is
26:59on that chair.
27:00Therefore, the
27:01chair has to
27:01rise up and
27:02answer these
27:03questions.
27:06I agree.
27:07If the
27:08CEC and
27:08the two
27:09election
27:09commissioners
27:10can address
27:11the press
27:11every time
27:12they announce
27:13the election
27:13dates, then
27:14it is high
27:14time that
27:15they address
27:15the press
27:16now and
27:17answer all
27:18the questions
27:18that are
27:19being raised
27:19with regards
27:20to the
27:20functioning of
27:21the institution.
27:22Siddharthi
27:23Adav, OP
27:23Rawat, Dr.
27:24Nishant Anand
27:25and Rajat Sethi
27:26really appreciate
27:26your time.
27:27Thank you for
27:27joining us and
27:28sharing your
27:29views.
27:29Of course, this
27:30is a developing
27:31story, several
27:32chapters yet to
27:33unfold.
27:34That's all from
27:34me.
27:35Thanks so much
27:35watching.