BRS leader Rama Rao demands revision of ECI appointment process

Hyderabad, Aug 17 (PTI) BRS Working President K T Rama Rao on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission seems to be functioning as an extended arm of the NDA and demanded revision of the ECI appointment process.

Reacting to the EC's press conference, Rao, in a post on 'X', said: "Today's press conference left us with more questions than answers. Chief Election Commissioner's explanations seem more like excuses than solutions".

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gynaesh Kumar said the electoral roll revision is aimed at removing all shortcomings in voter lists and it is a matter of grave concern that some parties are spreading misinformation about it and "firing from the EC's shoulder".

Kumar sought to demolish 'vote theft' allegations levelled by Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, citing provisions of the Constitution and clauses of electoral laws.

The BRS leader said, "Yes! We need an SIR! The Special Intensive Revision not of the electoral rolls but of the Election Commission of India itself. The only thing that we clearly now know is that the Election Commission of India (ECI) which is supposed to safeguard the democratic process seems to be functioning as an extended arm of the NDA".

Rao said if the ECI acknowledges "discrepancies" in the voter list, shouldn't they also accept the "dereliction of their duties?" "It is high time that we demand a revision not of the voter list but a revision of ECI appointment process...a clinical overhaul of the system so that we can still continue to call ourselves a democracy," he said. PTI VVK GDK VVK KH