Withdraw Proposed Amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

Withdraw Proposed Amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) expresses its strong objection to the Modi government’s move to amend the Conduct of Election Rules to restrict the access of political parties and candidates to electronic records, including video and other digital trails, which were initially introduced by the Election Commission in consultation with political parties to ensure greater transparency.

Media reports suggest that the government held consultations with the Election Commission of India while drafting the new rules. However, the Election Commission’s reported concurrence was not preceded by any consultation with political parties, contrary to the established precedents over the years. The government’s argument, which questions the locus standi of the petitioner on the conduct of the electoral process, is specious. This approach completely excludes political parties’ involvement in the procedures to be followed.

The CPI(M)’s experience in the past, particularly during the Lok Sabha elections in Tripura, showed that charges of rigging led to the examination of videographic records within polling booths, ultimately resulting in repolls being announced in almost half the polling booths across both constituencies. In this era, where technology is an integral part of the electoral process, the government’s move represents a retrograde step.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) therefore demands the immediate withdrawal of the proposed amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules.