Conspiracy Against the Opposition? Mallikarjun Kharge Breaks Silence on Changes to Election Rules

The new changes in the election rules have caused a furore as the central government is accused by Congress of doing this systematically against the opposition. The move has been termed a "deliberate attack on the Constitution and democracy" by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Kharge accuses government of undermining Election Commission

Kharge alleged that the Modi government was trying to erode the independence of the Election Commission (EC) through systemic efforts. He pointed out that the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection panel for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) was a calculated step.

Legal Action Planned

The Congress President had vowed to challenge the amendments in court, reiterating the party's commitment to keeping the autonomy of the Election Commission.
The EC is an authority, Kharge asserted, that is quasi-judicial in nature; under the changes, it cannot make autonomous decisions.

What are the changes to the rules?

The controversy arises from the alterations made to the Conduct of Election Rules 1961, particularly Section 92(2)(A). The amendment would exclude electronic documents, for example, CCTV footage taken at polling booths, from public access. The government argued that such documents could be tampered with using AI and shall only be accessed through a court order.

Opposition's Concerns

Congress has expressed the opinion that amendments compromise transparency and accountability in elections. The party holds that removal of electronic documents from public access undermines the electoral process and may facilitate manipulation.