Congress wants CEC probe into BJP leader’s role in polls work

Alleging that the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Maharashtra appointed a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office-bearer to handle its Facebook page and social media

Alleging that the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Maharashtra appointed a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office-bearer to handle its Facebook page and social media campaigns during the Assembly polls in Maharashtra late last year, the state unit of the Congress has written to the chief election commissioner (CEC), demanding a probe.

HT Image

An official from CEO’s office said the agency was empanelled by the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR).

CEO Baldev Singh, issued a clarification, stating: “It is misleading and incorrect to say that the office of CEO has issued any advertisement through any agency on political considerations. As per the standard practice, electoral awareness campaigns are launched through DGIPR. They, in turn, follow a laid down procedure for selecting an appropriate agency for public awareness and not by the CEO office.”

Former chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan alleged in a press conference on Friday that the CEO’s office, which acts on behalf of the Election Commission of India, had appointed Signpost India, which has links with Devang Dave, national coordinator of information technology and social media of the BJP’s youth wing to run its voter awareness campaign on social media. “As per Article 324 of the Constitution, the Election Commission has the power to direct, schedule and control the election and it is duty-bound to conduct the polls in a free and fair manner. The appointment of a BJP office-bearer clearly indicates the CEO office failed in its duty. I have requested the chief election commissioner of India to conduct an inquiry into it,” Chavan said.

RTI activist Saket Gokhale on Thursday put out a series of tweets alleging the appointment by the CEO ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls. Responding to them, ECI spokesperson Sheyphali Sharan tweeted, “Regarding tweet of Mr Gokhale@SaketGokhale, commission has sought a detailed factual report in this matter from CEO Maharashtra with respect to alleged locale of the incident immediately (sic).”

The CEO, Maharashtra’s statement further said: “As far as the specific imputation made in the tweet of Saket Gokhale, an interim reply based on the facts has been sent to the ECI. Meanwhile, some other representations on the matter have been received from some public representatives, which are also being addressed and a detailed response in this regard shall be sent to the commission soon.”

Dave, in a text message, said, “The work assigned by the Election Commission to Signpost was after following due process and there was no illegality involved. Can a political activist not work for an honest living? Am I not allowed professional engagements just because I support an ideology? The reputation of people levelling allegations is known to all. These are the people who were against the CAA, and are opposing Ram Mandir.”

Chavan said the information related to voters and their demographic details available with the election body is sensitive and can’t be assessed by an outsider. “The confidentiality may have been compromised owing to Dave’s appointment. It needs to be checked if the party benefited out of this link,” he said.

Chavan also alleged that Dave’s Facebook profile stated he was a member of the Information Technology board of the state government, even though no such board was constituted officially. “The state government should also probe which board Dave is referring to,” Chavan said.

In his letter to CEC, Chavan has raised questions over the process followed while selecting the company and if a background check was done before its appointment. He has also questioned if there was any direct or indirect political pressure on the CEO, Maharashtra to appoint the agency.

“Even if he was appointed by DGIPR, it was the duty of the CEO’s office to cross-check the background,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

BJP’s state vice-president Madhav Bhandari said, “The appointment of the agency led by Dave was not done just because he is a BJP office-bearer. It was done after he complied with all the criteria. Being a political leader or worker does not stop anybody from bagging a government contract if he/she is competent enough for it. Whether to pick the agency from the ones empanelled by DGIPR was the decision to be taken by the CEO office and they will clarify on it. Chavan, as a leader in opposition, should have taken objection at the time of the appointment.”