The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of undermining the independence of the Election Commission by allegedly rewarding former election officials with political appointments, ministerial positions and election tickets, as the confrontation between the ruling party and the Opposition intensified over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and cited several instances of former election commissioners subsequently entering politics or receiving constitutional appointments.
Goyal alleged that the Congress had compromised the neutrality of the constitutional institution during its years in power and accused the party of adopting double standards in questioning the present Election Commission.
"Congress raises questions about the Election Commission while ignoring its own track record," Goyal said, referring to instances in which former poll officials were fielded in elections or appointed to government positions.
The minister's remarks came a day after Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders marched towards the Supreme Court and filed a petition challenging alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.
Seshan's candidature questioned
Goyal cited former Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan, who headed the Election Commission between 1990 and 1996, as an example of what he described as the Congress's practice of offering political opportunities to former poll officials.
He pointed out that Seshan contested the 1999 Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar on a Congress ticket against BJP veteran L K Advani.
Seshan, widely recognised for electoral reforms during his tenure, lost the election to Advani.
Goyal questioned whether fielding a former Chief Election Commissioner against a prominent BJP leader reflected the Congress's willingness to politically accommodate individuals who had previously held constitutional positions.
The minister presented the candidature as part of a broader pattern, although a former election official entering politics after retirement does not, by itself, establish wrongdoing while in office.
Gill's appointment raises questions
Goyal also referred to former Chief Election Commissioner M S Gill, who served from 1996 to 2001 and subsequently entered politics.
Gill was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2000 while serving as Chief Election Commissioner. He later joined the Congress and became a Union minister in 2008.
The BJP leader questioned whether the civilian honour and subsequent political appointment represented rewards for Gill's tenure at the Election Commission.
However, Gill received the Padma Vibhushan in 2000 under the BJP-led Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, a distinction relevant to Goyal's allegation linking the award to Congress patronage.
Goyal nevertheless maintained that Gill's subsequent induction into the Congress and appointment to the Union Cabinet raised questions about the relationship between the party and former election officials.
Governor appointments cited
The Union minister also highlighted the appointment of former Chief Election Commissioner R K Trivedi as Governor of Gujarat shortly after completing his tenure at the poll body.
Trivedi's term as Chief Election Commissioner ended on December 31, 1985, and he was appointed Governor of Gujarat in February 1986, during the Rajiv Gandhi government's tenure.
Goyal questioned the short interval between Trivedi's retirement and his appointment to a constitutional office.
He alleged that such appointments demonstrated the Congress's willingness to offer influential positions to former election officials.
Chawla's elevation criticised
Goyal further questioned the elevation of Naveen Chawla as Chief Election Commissioner in April 2009 despite objections raised by his predecessor, N Gopalaswami.
Chawla had been appointed Election Commissioner in May 2005.
Gopalaswami subsequently recommended Chawla's removal, but the recommendation was not accepted, and Chawla went on to become Chief Election Commissioner.
Goyal alleged that Chawla's appointment reflected political influence exercised during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's tenure.
The minister also referred to former Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar's appointment as an adviser to the state's chief minister following the Assembly elections, questioning the circumstances of the appointment.
These examples formed the basis of Goyal's argument that the Congress should explain its own record before accusing the present Election Commission of political bias.
SIR dispute intensifies
The allegations came amid continuing protests by the Congress and other Opposition parties against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Opposition leaders have accused the Election Commission of facilitating arbitrary voter deletions and failing to ensure sufficient transparency in the revision exercise.
They have also questioned the decision-making process within the poll body following reports of disagreements involving Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The Election Commission has rejected suggestions of internal discord, maintaining that its decisions were taken unanimously despite differences of opinion during deliberations.
On Monday, Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other INDIA bloc leaders participated in a protest march in Delhi before approaching the Supreme Court.
Their petition sought an independent audit of electoral roll deletions, safeguards against the removal of eligible voters without notice and an interim suspension of the ongoing SIR exercise.
Supreme Court plea pending
The Opposition petition was not listed for hearing on Tuesday after the Supreme Court registry identified 14 procedural defects in the filing.
The objections included missing or illegible documents and other deficiencies requiring rectification before the matter could be placed before a bench.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant assured that the matters would be listed once the procedural defects were addressed.
The registry's objections were procedural and did not amount to a judicial determination of the allegations against the Election Commission.
With the Opposition continuing to demand accountability over electoral roll revisions and the BJP questioning the Congress's historical relationship with election officials, the dispute has widened into a confrontation over the independence and credibility of the constitutional institution.