Cong accuses EC of bias, says complaints ignored

The Election Commission (EC) has come under attack from the Congress for ignoring its complaints while conducting repolls in Bihar and other states. HT Correspondent reports.

The Election Commission (EC) has come under attack from the Congress for ignoring its complaints while conducting repolls in Bihar and other states. The party has accused the Naven Chawla-led poll panel of favouring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies.

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“The Congress is being meted out a rather discriminatory and unequal treatment by the Election Commission… The Congress has made more than 50 complaints… but surprisingly, the commission has not responded to single one,” Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi (50), said in a letter to the three election commissioners.

Terming its complaints as crucial and important for free and fair elections, the Congress has also accused the commission of taking immediate action on similar complaints lodged by the BJP.

While no action was taken on Congress' appeal for re-poll in Bihar despite submitting a CD in case of Maharajganj, the commission ordered repoll in the state acting on the BJP's complaints. "Similarly, in Arunachal Pradesh, repolling has been directed by the commission twice on the request of the BJP and a third repolling is understood to have been requested," the Congress said in the letter.

The Congress has also submitted a list of 50 complaints which includes one against an election observer in Daman. Distraught at not getting any response from the Election Commission, the Congress party’s letter states: "Elections are almost in the concluding stage now and irreparable prejudice has been caused to the Congress. We hope that the commission at this stage do whatever possible to ensure that surviving complaints are dealt in accordance with law."