“To Kill The Transparency In Election”: MK Stalin On Centre’s Election Documents Decision
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin has sharply criticised the Union government’s amendment to Section 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, calling it a grave threat to democracy. The amendment, notified on Friday, restricts public access to election-related documents, allowing only those specified in the rules to be inspected.
Stalin described the change as an assault on transparency in elections, accusing the BJP-led Union government of undermining democratic principles.
“Democracy is facing its gravest threat under the BJP-led Union Government with the reckless amendment of Section 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, to kill the transparency in election,” Stalin said in a statement. He added that the amendment was a direct response to a Punjab and Haryana High Court order directing the Election Commission to furnish CCTV footage from a polling booth in Haryana.
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By introducing this amendment, the Centre aimed to block public inspection of such documents, Stalin asserted, saying it had “destroyed one of the basic features of the Constitution.”
The amendment comes at a time when concerns over the integrity of electoral processes are mounting and Opposition parties are raising concerns about the Electronic Voting Machine. Stalin highlighted recent events in Maharashtra, describing the BJP’s victory in the assembly elections there as “orchestrated and unholy,” adding that it reflected the government’s broader anxiety over democratic accountability.
“The BJP-led Union Government’s fear extends beyond Haryana, reflecting anxiety over Maharashtra, where their orchestrated and unholy victory in the recent assembly election has raised serious concerns,” he said.
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The Election Commission’s role in the controversy has also drawn criticism. Stalin accused the poll body of yielding to pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government instead of safeguarding institutional integrity. “It is shocking that the Election Commission of India, instead of fighting for institutional integrity, has willingly succumbed to the pressure of Prime Minister Modi’s Government and happily involved in defacing its own child – the free and fair election!” Stalin declared.
The original rule, which allowed all election-related documents to be open to public inspection, has now been revised. Under the amendment, only documents explicitly specified in the Conduct of Election Rules can be accessed by the public. The change was introduced after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the poll body to provide election-related documents, including CCTV footage, to a petitioner who was not a candidate in the elections.
An Election Commission official, according to the Scroll, justified the amendment, stating that it was necessary to regulate public access to election documents, particularly in response to a surge in applications, including those filed under the Right to Information Act. However, critics argue that the move undermines accountability and transparency.
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Stalin urged political parties across the spectrum to unite against what he termed an undemocratic move. “I appeal to all political parties, including those participating in the Union Government, to come forward and counter this undemocratic assault on the free and fair elections of our Nation,” he said.
The amendment has also drawn criticism from advocate Mehmood Pracha, who called it an attempt to undermine democratic principles. “To save democracy and Babasaheb’s constitution, we are being forced to play on an uneven ground,” Pracha told Scroll, vowing to challenge the restrictions legally.
