Public statements tend to put an element of doubt: ECI

ECI requested details of 150 DMs

Officers are under watch: Jairam

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought the response of the General Secretary in-charge of communications for the Indian National Congress (INC) Jairam Ramesh over his claim that the Home Minister of India Amit Shah has contacted over 150 District Magistrates in order to influence the outcome on the counting day. “All officers are under deemed deputation of the Commission and report directly to the Commission for any directions. However, no DM has reported any such undue influence as alleged by you. As you are aware, the process of counting of votes is a sacred duty cast upon every RO and such public statements by you tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to be addressed in larger public interest. Therefore, you being a responsible, experienced and very senior leader of a National Party must have made such a public statement, just before the day of counting, based on facts/ information you believe to be true. It is requested that details of 150 DMs to whom such calls have been allegedly made by the Home Minister along with the factual matrix/ basis of your information are shared by 19:00 hours on June 2nd,” the ECI stated in its letter to Jairam. 

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Jairam had made the claim on June 1st as voting in the 7th phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha Election was coming to an end. The INC has been making complaints about the lack of a level playing field ever since the commencement of the election. “The outgoing Home Minister has been calling up DMs/Collectors. 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 Gatbandhan will be victorious. Officers should not get under any pressure and must uphold the Constitution. They are under watch,” Jairam mentioned on X.

The outgoing Home Minister has been calling up DMs/Collectors. 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…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 1, 2024