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'Not swayed by insinuations': EC writes on X day after Arvind Kejriwal's 'retirement' attack on CEC Rajiv Kumar
Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed the Election Commission had surrendered before the BJP.
The Election Commission on Tuesday took cognizance of “repeated deliberate pressure tactics to malign ECI”, saying it will not be swayed by “such insinuations”. The poll panel's post on X came a day after Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal accused Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar of having greed for post-retirement appointment.
"The 3-member Commission collectively noted repeated deliberate pressure tactics to malign ECI in the Delhi Elections, as if it is a single-member body & decided to have constitutional restraint, absorbing such outbursts with sagacity, stoically & not to be swayed by such insinuations," the Election Commission wrote on X, without naming AAP or Kejriwal.
"Action on issues raised by political parties & candidates are taken in each instance by over 1.5 lakh officials in #DelhiAssemblyElection2025 who are functioning within an established legal framework, robust processes & SoPs ensuring fair play and non-partisan conduct," it added.
What Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday
Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed the Election Commission had surrendered before the BJP. The former Delhi chief minister asked the top election officer to "do your duty" and "give up the desire" for the post.
"Today the way the Election Commission has surrendered before the Bharatiya Janata Party, it seems as if the Election Commission does not exist. This is raising a very big question. It is justified for people to have questions in their minds that Rajiv Kumar Ji, who is the Chief Election Commissioner, is retiring at the end of this month. What kind of post has been offered to him post-retirement? The post of governor, the post of president, what kind of post can it be?" Arvind Kejriwal said at a press conference.
"I request Rajiv Kumar Ji with folded hands. Do your duty, give up the desire for the post, give up the greed for the post. Now at the end of your career, do not destroy the country, the country's democracy," he added.
Kejriwal vs Election Commission
Kejriwal has been accusing his BJP rival Parvesh Verma of distributing cash in the New Delhi constituency. He also accused the Election Commission of inaction.
Earlier this month, the poll panel sought an explanation from Kejriwal over his remark that the BJP government in Haryana had been poisoning the Yamuna water supply to Delhi.
In his reply to the poll panel, the former Delhi chief minister said he made the comments in the context of an "urgent public health crisis" over drinking water quality in the national capital.
The Delhi assembly election will be conducted on Wednesday. The results will be declared on February 8.
