E-Paper
EC rejects Jairam Ramesh's request for time to detail charges against Shah
The poll panel has directed the Congress leader to file a response by 7 pm on Monday.
The Election Commission on Monday rejected Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's request to get a week time to detail his allegation against Union home minister Amit Shah.
Ramesh had alleged that Shah called up 150 district magistrates across the country after voting for the Lok Sabha elections had ended.
“So far, he has spoken to 150 of them. This is blatant and brazen intimidation, showing how desperate the BJP is. Let it be very clear: the will of the people shall prevail, and on June 4th, Mr. Modi, Mr. Shah, and the BJP will exit, and the INDIA Janbandhan will be victorious. Officers should not get under any pressure and must uphold the Constitution. They are under watch,” Ramesh had said.
The poll panel has directed the Congress leader to file a response by 7 pm on Monday.
Earlier in the day, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar reacted sharply to Ramesh's allegation, saying it was not ‘right to spread rumours and doubt everyone’.
“Can someone influence them (district magistrates/returning officers) all? Tell us who did this. We will punish the person who did it...It is not right that you spread a rumour and doubt everyone,” the CEC said at a briefing ahead of the counting of votes.
On Sunday, the poll panel had sought detailed information from Jairam Ramesh over his allegations against Shah, adding that no district magistrate has reported experiencing any undue influence.
“The process of counting of votes is a sacred duty cast upon every RO (Returning Officer) and such public statements by a senior, responsible and experienced leader tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to be addressed in larger public interest,” the EC had said.
Voting for 543 Lok Sabha constituencies was held in seven phase from April 19 to June 1.
(With input from Aditi Agrawal)
