Wayanad : Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said that if any illegal acts were committed in the electoral roll revision process, those responsible, including the Chief Election Commissioner, should face criminal prosecution, as she stepped up her attack over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Speaking to reporters in Kalpetta, Priyanka Gandhi said any attempt to interfere with the democratic process of elections was a serious offence against the Constitution and the country.
“My response is very, very clear. Anybody who plays around with the democratic process of our elections is committing treason against this nation. That is our very, very clear stand,” she said. The Congress leader questioned the legal protection available to the CEC in case illegal actions were established. “I do not think anybody in that position should have legal protection in the way that he has—the Chief Election Commissioner has—if they have done illegal acts,” she said.
Priyanka Gandhi alleged that tampering with electoral rolls and large-scale deletion of voters would constitute a serious offence. “Tampering with the voters' rolls, deleting, I believe, 13 crore voters... is a criminal act against democracy, against the Constitution, and against the nation,” she said. She further alleged that if the CEC was aware of irregularities, was informed by fellow commissioners and still allowed them to continue, he should face criminal proceedings.
“If he has done an illegal act, he has been fully aware that this is happening under his nose, his colleagues have brought it to his attention, he has ignored it and intentionally allowed an unfair election to take place, he should be criminally prosecuted just like any other criminal, and he should be tried for treason,” Priyanka Gandhi said.
Her remarks came amid a political controversy following an Indian Express report claiming that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months concerning decisions and orders related to electoral-roll procedures and the SIR process.
The Election Commission has rejected any suggestion that the reported internal deliberations undermined its functioning. The poll panel said written notes, observations, technical suggestions and internal checks were part of normal functioning in a multi-member constitutional body.
The ECI also said that all official orders and decisions issued by the Commission had full legal sanction and followed established statutory procedures. It described inputs and queries raised during the drafting stage as part of efforts to improve electoral processes and safeguard voter rights.
The BJP has also defended the Election Commission, with party leaders describing internal exchanges among the commissioners as part of institutional deliberations. Opposition parties, however, have continued to raise questions over the SIR exercise and the Election Commission's decision-making process.