EC asks Congress to explain claim that Amit Shah called up district magistrates, collectors
No district magistrate had reported such ‘undue influence’, the Election Commission said.
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The Election Commission on Sunday issued a notice to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh asking him to explain his claims that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called up at least 150 district magistrates and collectors ahead of the Lok Sabha election result.
The counting of votes will take place on Tuesday.
On Saturday, Ramesh accused Shah of “blatant and brazen intimidation”. In a social media post, the Rajya Sabha MP alleged that the Union home minister had been calling up district magistrates and collectors. “Officers should not get under any pressure and must uphold the Constitution,” the Congress leader had said. “They are under watch.”
In its notice to Ramesh on Sunday, the Election Commission said that officers report to the poll panel for directions when the Model Code of Conduct is in force. The code is a set of rules issued by the Commission that all governments, political parties and candidates are mandated to follow during elections.
“However, no DM [district magistrate] has reported any such undue influence as alleged by you [Ramesh],” the poll panel said. “As you are aware, the process of counting votes is a sacred duty cast upon every RO [returning officer] and such public statements by you tend to put an element of doubt and thus, deserves to...
