The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Electoral Laws Bill must be Scrutinised by a Select Committee
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the manner in which important changes in the electoral laws, which have far-reaching consequences, has been rushed through the Lok Sabha and passed in a din. Members of Parliament were not given time for discussion. Most importantly, MPs were not allowed to move any amendments, which is a gross violation of parliamentary norms and procedures. In the morning, the discussion was for sending it to a Parliamentary Select Committee for a thorough examination. Abandoning this decision, the government issued supplementary agenda post-lunch and rushed through the Bill.
This Bill has the danger of violating both secrecy of the vote undermining the principle of secret ballot and the fundamental right to privacy of the voter.
The opposition parties must resolutely resist this Bill from being bulldozed in the Rajya Sabha now and demand its thorough examination by a Select Committee.