‘EC exposed; govts formed amid poll panel lapses unconstitutional’

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said governments formed during a period when the Election Commission was “not functioning impartially” were “unconstitutional”, and that the “interference” with the poll panel amounted to “trampling” democracy.

Yadav said the Election Commission was regarded as an impartial institution and was expected to strengthen democracy. Referring to an Indian Express report about two Election Commissioners recording objections 14 times in 10 months to decisions of the poll panel, he said the development raised questions over “on whose behalf” the Election Commission was functioning.

“The Election Commission has been exposed,” Yadav said and called it a very serious matter. “This is dangerous for our democracy. This is an attempt to weaken our democracy,” he said. Yadav said the Election Commission was a constitutional body and questioned who was “playing with” such an institution for remaining in government.

“What can you imagine now? Would the Election Commission have been fair? Would it have been impartial?” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asked. He said if decisions of the poll panel were being questioned from within, it raises serious questions about the functioning of an institution whose basic expectation was impartiality. The leader of the third largest party in Lok Sabha said the development also had implications for governments formed during this period.

“This means that the governments formed during this period are unconstitutional,” Yadav said, alleging democracy had been “trampled upon”. Upon being asked about the course of action in view of the alleged lapses, Yadav said, “The first step should be to examine what happened to the decisions that have been taken so far, and the governments that have been formed.”

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