CPI(M) leaders on Thursday accused the Election Commission of succumbing to the Central Government’s pressure and changing the schedule of elections to three seats in Rajya Sabha from Kerala.
Last week, the Election Commission announced the schedule and the election was supposed to be conducted on April 14. But all of a sudden the EC kept the election on abeyance citing an opinion from the Law Ministry.
“Election to Rajya Sabha from Kerala has been kept in abeyance. ECI says Law Ministry recommended so. Art. 324 vests the power to conduct the election only in the ECI. Why the political intervention? Why has ECI succumbed to it? Indian Constitution has been violated, yet again!,” tweeted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressing displeasure.
CPI(M) polit bureau member Nilotpal Basu said that the party is shocked to see the attitude of the Election Commission. “We wanted to pointedly question the bonafides of the Government of India to directly intervene in the process of elections whereas no political party or individuals had expressed any disagreement with the authority of the ECI, much less the details of the notification for elections.
“We are afraid that this appears to be completely in contravention of the immense powers of the Election Commission under Article 324 and actually amounts to the relinquishing of its independence. It is clear that the ECI is acting at the behest of the overnment”, said he.