- 14 minutes ago
Reports indicate internal divisions within the Election Commission of India, with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally recording objections to decisions taken under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
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00:03Hello and welcome, you're with the news today, your primetime destination news, newsmakers,
00:08talking points. Wednesday night, we have a huge story breaking today. This evening,
00:15has the election commission become a one-man show led by Gyanesh Kumar? Two ECs, were they
00:21bypassed by majority decisions? That sensational Indian Express story, it's fallout tonight.
00:27Among my special guests, Kapil Simbel, who's calling for the suspension of Gyanesh Kumar.
00:34But first, as always, it's time to get cracking with the nine headlines at nine tonight.
00:39Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is under fire after an Indian Express report exposes
00:46how decisions were taken despite objections being raised by his colleagues in the Election Commission.
00:54Opposition demands his removal. BJP hails democracy in Election Commission.
01:01A two-judge Supreme Court bench gives a split verdict on the appointment of a Chief Election Commissioner,
01:08but agrees on referring pleas, challenging the law to a constitutional bench.
01:13Justice Dutta in a stinging judgment doubts the neutrality of the election panel.
01:21After the Kalkaji rape horror in the national capital, students of Delhi's Premier Institute,
01:26Lady Sriram College stayed a protest over women's safety. Classes at LSR College will resume from tomorrow.
01:35Another twist in the IIT student case in Mumbai. CCTV footage shows Sahil trying to use his phone to cheat.
01:43Accused Professor Dula also allegedly also seen catching Sahil red-handed, asking him to leave.
01:52External Affairs Minister Jai Shankar meets Secretary of State Marco Rubio draws a red line over Trump tariffs.
01:59Jai Shankar reks up Russian oil sanctions bills, flags India's concerns over a 100% tariff threat.
02:07Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to visit U.S. later this year to attend the G20 summit.
02:13The high-level summit will be held in Miami on the 14th and 15th of December.
02:19After Moody's and IMF, SNP hails India's growth, ups India's forecast for 27 financial year to 7%.
02:27Multiple global agencies now endorse India's growth story.
02:33Iran President Pejeshdian rains fire on Trump during his UNGA address as U.S. forces assassinated our Supreme Leader,
02:41targeted a school in Minab, which killed 120 girls.
02:46And weightlifter Mirabai Chanu finally breaks her Asian Games taboo, wins silver in Japan,
02:53ends India's 28-year wait for a weightlifting medal at the Continental Showpiece.
03:07But tonight I want to start with a huge story, a story that exposes a major divide at the very
03:15top of India's election commission.
03:17And in the line of fire is the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar.
03:21An Indian Express report today has sensationally showed that on several occasions, at least 14 times in the last 10
03:29months,
03:30the other two election commissioners had objected to what they call unauthorized and illegal decisions
03:35that were being taken by the election commission, including the manner in which addition and deletion of voters
03:42were being used through a centralized software.
03:45Despite this, those decisions went through.
03:48All of this has put the onus squarely on Gyanesh Kumar.
03:52The election commission is insisting that the decisions were taken unanimously despite the objections.
03:58But the opposition isn't listening.
04:00They want Gyanesh Kumar to be suspended.
04:02And some are even saying that all the elections held under his tenure should now be cancelled and held afresh.
04:11The government is sticking by Gyanesh Kumar, but clearly the Chief Election Commissioner now will have much to answer for.
04:19It's our top story tonight.
04:24The Election Commission is a divided house.
04:27Several issues linked to the special intensive revision that has deleted 13 crore people from electoral rolls have become a
04:36flashpoint.
04:36The Indian Express on Wednesday reported that two election commissioners, Subbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi,
04:44put their objections on record 14 times in the last 10 months.
04:49The two election commissioners have flagged decisions taken and orders issued allegedly without their knowledge.
04:56The report claims the objections by the ECs were marked to Chief Election Commissioners, Gyanesh Kumar, and in some cases,
05:05Deputy ECs.
05:08One of the objections is related to a new clause added to Form 6, to be filled by new voters.
05:15The form now asks the applicants if their parents or grandparents are on the electoral roll of last SIR.
05:22The two VCs, according to the newspaper report, noted this is unauthorized and illegal, and only the government could change
05:30Form 6 by amending rules.
05:33The two VCs raised concerns about centralization of the software, where the voter list resides.
05:39They point out that state-level officials were unable to get full access to EroNet portal, which has the voter
05:47data.
05:48This, when the electoral registration officer is the statutory authority on the ground with powers to make corrections in voter
05:56list.
05:57Another issue flagged by the two VCs is the appeals pending in tribunals in West Bengal.
06:03The election commission recently informed the Supreme Court that 38 lakh appeals are pending, of which 22.21 lakh are
06:13filed by excluded voters to get back on the rolls.
06:17The remaining 16.10 lakh are filed to delete voters cleared by an adjudication process earlier.
06:24Election commissioner Sandhu asked the EC officials who authorized filing of appeals on behalf of EC seeking deletion of names.
06:32The newspaper report says, Sandhu recorded that Joshi and chief electoral officer of West Bengal were not informed about these
06:42appeals.
06:43The two VCs even wrote to cabinet secretary TV Somnathan on July 29th, after an official who supervised the IT
06:52division was removed without the approval of the VCs.
06:55A day later, the two VCs set aside the changes.
07:00Their note was sent to the CEC as well.
07:04The news report also cites how 97 voters cleared by an electoral registration officer could not be added to the
07:12voter list due to a software glitch.
07:14The ERO was enabled to include the names by January 29th, a deadline set by the Supreme Court.
07:21Reacting to the newspaper report, the election commission has issued a press release.
07:28The election commission says, highlighting certain specific internal notes, observations, give only one part of the picture.
07:36It adds that all decisions, including SIR, were unanimous.
07:41The EC claims its digital platforms, such as ECINET, operate under strict data security protocols.
07:49It claims statutory authorities, including electoral registration officers and district election officers, function as per law.
07:59The election commission's statement, however, is silent on addition of a new clause in Form 6 for new voters.
08:07Charges that the two ECs were kept in the dark on some decisions and centralization of voter list data.
08:14While the EC insists, all is well, the divide within is clearly too deep to be fixed easily.
08:27Let me go to my first guest now, the former Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. S.Y. Qureshi, joining us on
08:34that big story.
08:35Dr. Qureshi, your first reactions.
08:37Should we presume that the election commission has become a one-man show or is it truly a multi-member
08:44body
08:44when decisions are taken after overruling what the other election commissioners say are unauthorized and illegal?
08:53Is this Gyanesh Kumar? Should it be called the election commission of Gyanesh Kumar?
08:58Well, it may sound cynical, but that is exactly the situation.
09:03Very arbitrarily, somebody has made it a one-man commission, whereas government, after due deliberation,
09:10had made it a multi-member commission in 1991 and the matter went up to the Supreme Court
09:16and the Supreme Court decided in 1995 when Mr. Session, who was a dictator,
09:22and to bring him under control, two other members were appointed, he went to the Supreme Court
09:29and the Supreme Court said, however wise the gentleman may be, three minds are better than one
09:35and the power is so much that it has to, it cannot be unbridled, which is why the three-member
09:43commission
09:43was set up and the Supreme Court appreciated it and came out with a strong argument that
09:51the Supreme Court, that infamous line should be put up in a frame in the election commission.
09:57Now, two guys getting totally neglected.
10:01But is it unusual?
10:04Yes, totally.
10:05But is it unusual because in the past also there have been conflicts between election commissioners.
10:09What makes this story unusual?
10:11What, according to you, is in this story makes it different from previous instances
10:17of squabbles in the election commission?
10:20Well, you know, there were squabbles in my time also and before me and after me,
10:24but there are rules for it.
10:26The rules are very clear.
10:28At the Section 18 of the Election Commissioner's Appointment Act of 2020, amended in 2023,
10:37it says that the decisions should be unanimous as far as possible,
10:41but if that is not possible, in a rare instance when there is a disagreement,
10:46it has to be, it shall be, the word is shall, shall be by majority,
10:51and that majority can be of the two election commissioners.
10:55And in fact, even in my time, the two election commissioners were even overruling the chief election commissioner.
11:00The decision of the two was the decision of the election commission,
11:05and that is a laid down norm which has been practiced all these years.
11:12Right?
11:13So, the question therefore arises, are you saying that all the decisions that were taken overruling the objections
11:20of the other two election commissioners should be declared null and void?
11:24For example, the centralized software system has come under question,
11:28the manner in which Form 6 has been revised, has come under question from the other election commissioners,
11:34the manner in which appeals for deletions in West Bengal were made seemingly without the knowledge
11:40of the other two election commissioners.
11:41Are you saying all these contentious decisions, particularly the centralized software system
11:47overruling the decisions of the EROs on the ground, should they all be declared null and void now?
11:53Absolutely, quite clearly, that is the law.
11:56Because the law provides, ERO is the only authority which decides about the registration and inclusion,
12:04and even his boss, the deputy commissioner, doesn't have the power.
12:08His super boss, the CEC, doesn't have the power.
12:11The law provides power to ERO, and ERO do not know what was happening,
12:15because some software in Delhi, I don't know from what source it came there,
12:21became the election commission of India.
12:27So can I ask you this, the commission in its statement today has said that
12:32while there may be differing views and observations, decisions were unanimous in the end.
12:37Is that enough to satisfy you, or do you believe there is more to this than meets the eye?
12:42Totally, because, you know, obviously the investigative story is very clear,
12:47that 14 times they disagreed.
12:49Well, there may be disagreement.
12:52There used to be disagreement in my time also, as I said.
12:55But the decisions were taken by a majority, and they were all recorded.
12:59They were minuted.
13:00All decisions of the commission are minuted.
13:02And I understand for months on end,
13:05the election commission did not meet as a commission,
13:08because one man thought he is the commission.
13:15You're saying one man thought he was the commission.
13:18Do you therefore subscribe to the view, Dr. Qureshi,
13:21being expressed by opposition parties that Gyanesh Kumar
13:24is a puppet in the hands of the central government,
13:27and is being used by them to skew elections in the BJP's favor?
13:31Can we really make that statement today?
13:34Or do you believe there is a need for an independent audit,
13:37and an inquiry and hearing at the very least?
13:40Well, I would not make any political statement at all.
13:46Politicians have a right to make the statement.
13:48But independent audit has been asked for by one of the commissioners himself,
13:53Joshi.
13:54Let there be independent audit.
13:56What is the software?
13:57Where has it come from?
13:58And who is heading that software?
14:01That needs to be investigated and made public.
14:04It became the election commission.
14:07Everybody, every officer down the line,
14:09and they were getting the flag from the people.
14:11They were getting abused day and night,
14:14without poor fellows having any power.
14:16The power was with the computer in the capital.
14:25Are you saying, therefore, you are not ruling out the possibility
14:28that this computer, this software system was rigged?
14:32I am using the word rigged very advisedly.
14:34It was rigged to favor one party.
14:36Are you saying that is a real possibility
14:38that needs an independent investigation?
14:41No, I will not categorically say it was rigged,
14:45but it was erratic.
14:46It was faulty.
14:47And it needs to be investigated.
14:49And how did it get all that power?
14:52The power has been provided very clearly by the law.
14:57And there is a regular hierarchy.
15:00And ERO is the key man.
15:02As I told you,
15:04only ERO can decide your registration or your removal.
15:09Well, nobody else, not even his bosses.
15:11They don't have any power.
15:16Okay, I'm going to leave it there, Dr. Qureshi.
15:19Clearly, there are several troubling questions
15:21that this story has raised
15:22that cast a shadow over the one body
15:26that Indians over the years have always been proud of,
15:29the Election Commission.
15:30And we will wait and see how this plays out.
15:33But I appreciate your joining us.
15:34You said, of course, Dr. Qureshi there saying
15:36he doesn't want to play politics or make political statements.
15:40But the politicians are out there.
15:41Some are calling for Gyanesh Kumar's suspension.
15:44Opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee are saying
15:47he should be arrested.
15:48Even as the BJP has come out strongly
15:51in defense of the Election Commission.
15:54Listen in to the political voices.
15:57He should be arrested.
16:39Well, as you know, my brother Rahul Gandhi Ji has been continuously taking up the issue
16:47of the biases and the injustice that is going on
16:51through the Election Commissions.
16:53He has repeatedly highlighted multiple issues.
16:57And now you are seeing that it is coming out in the news media as well
17:01that Election Commissioners themselves have highlighted some of the issues to Gyanesh Kumar ji.
17:07So I think this is an extremely serious issue for our democracy.
17:11Because if there are no elections, then where is democracy?
17:16And if the elections are unfair and they are being rigged in any manner
17:20and the Election Commission is assisting in that
17:23and if the Election Commissioner himself is not only aware of it
17:28but he is allowing it to happen,
17:30then it is a very, very serious assault on democracy.
17:33See, it is actually, it is treachery with the nation.
17:56This election commission must be arrested.
17:59He has no moral authority to continue.
18:04And BJP must see.
18:07They cannot destruct our Constitution.
18:10They cannot destruct demolition on democracy.
18:16They cannot construct only the atrocities.
18:19And they cannot depute their own ERO in the name of...
18:25All is a falling into the trap.
18:28The trap where they said that the Election Commissioner and this government
18:32was a dictatorial government.
18:35Rather, I would say that this is pure democracy.
18:38Election Commission of India,
18:40nor any constitutional body in India
18:43is under a dictatorial rule.
18:46They are functioning in a democratic manner.
18:50And of course, they are upholding the democracy of this country.
18:54Loktantrik tarikayse kaam karke samvidhanik sansthyayen
18:57Loktantra ko bacha rahi.
19:01Okay, let's raise the big question then.
19:04Who really is running the Election Commission?
19:06Has the Election Commission become a one-man show headed by Gyanesh Kumar?
19:10Why were the two Election Commissioners
19:12bypassed in many crucial decisions?
19:15Is it time for the EC to come clean with a more detailed explanation?
19:19And who will referee the neutral umpire?
19:22And should elections under Gyanesh Kumar now come under doubt?
19:26Questions to be raised.
19:27My first guest is Kapil Sipal.
19:30And let's move now to my next guest.
19:33We are joined by the Senior Supreme Court Advocate,
19:36Eminent Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sipal
19:40who's taken a very strong line and said that Gyanesh Kumar must be suspended.
19:45Appreciate your joining us, Mr. Sipal.
19:48Do you believe that a Chief Election Commissioner, no less,
19:51a constitutional functioning should be suspended prima facie
19:55on the basis of a newspaper story,
19:57particularly now that the other Election Commissioners
20:00in their press release have said
20:01there may have been disagreements,
20:03but all decisions that were taken were unanimous.
20:06So on what basis are you calling for Gyanesh Kumar's suspension
20:11without necessarily giving him a fair hearing?
20:17Well, two responses to that.
20:19Number one, I also know that he's not going to be suspended
20:22because this is not an act of Gyanesh Kumar himself.
20:25These are instructions given to Gyanesh Kumar
20:28to control the elections throughout the country
20:33so that a particular party can win that election.
20:36That's number one.
20:37Number two, of course, Gyanesh Kumar is not a government officer,
20:40but if a person is a government officer, he's suspended
20:43and then a fair hearing is given.
20:45Suspension is a remedy that is always available to the government.
20:49But since this is a constitutional position,
20:52obviously it's not going to happen,
20:54and the procedure for removing Gyanesh Kumar
20:58is similar to the procedure for removing a Supreme Court judge.
21:01So none of this is going to happen.
21:03But the act is so egregious
21:05that this requires some extraordinary steps.
21:08But I don't think it will happen.
21:10So it's a statement that I made
21:12only to suggest the nature, the egregiousness of the act.
21:16But the more important thing here, Rajdeep, is the following,
21:21namely that this act was not being done by him.
21:25And if you say that the two election commissioners
21:28have said that these decisions were taken anonymously,
21:30that's wrong.
21:31No election commissioner has said that.
21:34The two of them have not said that.
21:35On the contrary, the statement that is issued formally
21:39by the election commission through the additional director,
21:42which is the press release,
21:43only states that these are procedural issues
21:47and all decisions are taken unanimously.
21:49It's very simple.
21:50All three of them should come to the press
21:52and say we won't say anything more
21:54except for the fact that all the decisions
21:56have been taken unanimously.
21:57That didn't happen, and that can't happen,
21:59because that's not so.
22:01And there is still some media in this country
22:07which is still free,
22:08which is still responsible journalism,
22:10and I think that Indian Express is one of them.
22:17But let me ask you this.
22:19When you say that the acts committed of omission
22:23or commission of the election commission are egregious,
22:26and therefore the elections effectively,
22:29you seem to be suggesting, were being controlled,
22:32I won't use the word rigged by not Gyanesh Kumar,
22:36but someone giving him instructions.
22:37That's a very serious allegation that you're making.
22:39Tell me what specifically,
22:42show me specific evidence
22:44based on what we've seen in the newspaper story
22:46that gives you a sense that
22:48this leads you to the conclusion
22:51that the elections were being controlled
22:53by someone other than Gyanesh Kumar
22:54so that one party, IE, presumably the BJP,
22:57the party in power would win.
23:02Okay, two things, two things.
23:04Number one, the entire IT structure was centralized.
23:07The ECI net, which is controlled for the purposes of audit,
23:14that was centralized when the West Bengal election was taking place
23:19for the simple reason that the power to access the voters list
23:24is given to the ERO under the law.
23:27That power was taken away.
23:29Why?
23:31No explanation for that.
23:34And the revelations in the Indian Express report suggest
23:38that opposition, both of the commissioners opposed it,
23:42that why are you taking the statutory right away of the ERO?
23:45Now, if that right is being taken away,
23:47obviously this is with a motive, no?
23:49To centralize the system.
23:51That's point number one.
23:52Point number two, the matters that are before the tribunal
23:57in relation to the West Bengal election
24:00have so far as decisions have been taken by the tribunal
24:06demonstrate that 91 to 94 percent of the deletions were wrongly done.
24:12Now, that can't be the work of one BLO.
24:15It has to be something that is...
24:18This kind of uniformity for every BLO for having wrongly deleted names
24:24can't possibly be true.
24:26That doesn't sort of...
24:27It's not consistent with logic and with human conduct.
24:30So that's the second issue.
24:32The third issue is that the Form 6 was changed
24:36without consultation with the government of India.
24:39And I can't believe that the government of India didn't know about it.
24:43I can't believe that.
24:44That means the whole government of this country
24:47did not know that Form 6 was being changed
24:50without their consent.
24:55So what you're saying effectively
24:57is that a multi-member commission
24:59as appointed under Article 324
25:02to ensure the superintendence and conduct of elections
25:05was effectively converted into a single-man commission
25:08which you're saying was taking instructions from above.
25:11That's, of course, unproven.
25:12But thereby was engaging in arbitrary acts
25:15of deletion and additions
25:17through a centralized software system
25:19and not by the ground-level EROs
25:22who are often SDMs.
25:23So broadly, what you're charging Gyanesh Kumar with
25:27is that Gyanesh Kumar had effectively chosen
25:31to take decisions arbitrarily
25:33through this software system.
25:34You're making a very serious charge
25:36that this entire software system has been rigged
25:38to ensure additions and deletions.
25:41Would a better approach be to have an independent audit of this
25:44rather than call for Gyanesh Kumar's suspension at this stage?
25:53You know, Rajdeep, you're a responsible journalist.
25:56You ask, you know, not that I can ask you the question
25:59because you're asking me questions,
26:01but I ask you a simple question.
26:02Is it possible that all the deletions that have took place
26:06and which have come to light,
26:0891% of a wrong are false?
26:10They should never have happened.
26:13Is it not a fact that 27 persons in Goa
26:17whose names were deleted,
26:18the ERO tried to tell them
26:20that please include their names,
26:22they are genuine voters,
26:23they were not included?
26:25Are these isolated examples?
26:27I ask you as a journalist,
26:29what would be your inference
26:31if these facts were correct?
26:33What would be your inference?
26:35And if you say that these facts are not correct,
26:37tell me what prime official evidence do you have
26:40to say that these facts are correct?
26:41Sir, for the last five months,
26:43sir, sir, sir, I have for the last five months
26:46been raising red flags over the SIR process
26:49at the risk of being targeted for raising those red flags.
26:54So I have been doing it consistently,
26:56but I ask you one last time, Mr. Sibbal,
27:00do you therefore believe that all the elections
27:02that have taken place under Gyanesh Kumar's leadership
27:05therefore are now coming under scrutiny?
27:07Are you saying they are all dubious?
27:08I mean, what happens when the opposition wins an election
27:11like let's say in Kerala or in Tamil Nadu?
27:14Are we saying all elections
27:15or is this being selectively done?
27:16You're telling me that the software
27:18can be selectively manipulated to ensure
27:20BJP wins where it wants to win
27:22and allows the opposition to win in a couple of states?
27:28Okay, let me answer that very simply by saying
27:31that do you think that BJP will manipulate this process
27:35in Tamil Nadu where they have no presence?
27:38And do you think that they will manipulate this process
27:40in Kerala where they have no presence?
27:43Obviously their task, see, look,
27:47they had to win Bihar
27:49and they had to win West Bengal.
27:53These are the two big states, right?
27:56And these things happen selectively.
27:58These things not happen en masse.
28:00They decide where to win,
28:02where they can't win and where not to win.
28:04So, you know, this kind of logic
28:06doesn't appeal to me at all.
28:08And you see, they are not fools.
28:11And if the fact is they never thought
28:13that this would come to light.
28:15And this is not the only reason, Rajdeep.
28:18Look at the way in which notices are being sent.
28:20Look at the way in which names are being deleted.
28:23And look at the way additions are being made.
28:26I mean, this is scandal.
28:28This is scandal of the highest order.
28:30And we have evidence in place.
28:32And I'm sure that in the next two couple of weeks,
28:35I will give you evidence
28:36because we are ourselves investigating this.
28:38This is the biggest scam that's happened in this country
28:41since elections became a norm.
28:48Okay, I'm going to leave it there, Mr. Sibbal.
28:50I'm going to wait and see
28:52what this new evidence is that comes up.
28:54But clearly, there are serious searching questions
28:57that the Election Commission has to answer at the moment.
29:01And that's why we are continuously focusing on this.
29:03I appreciate, Mr. Sibbal,
29:05you joining me here on the show tonight.
29:08Okay, let's widen the debate.
29:10I'm joined now by Yogendra Yadav,
29:12co-founder Swaraj India,
29:14who's been consistently raising red flags
29:16against the SIR exercise.
29:18Siddharth Yadav, national media co-convener BJP,
29:21also advocate at the Supreme Court.
29:23Adil Singh Boparai, national spokesperson Congress,
29:25also an advocate at the courts.
29:27And Rajat Sethi, political analyst,
29:29who's worked in the past on BJP's election campaign.
29:33I want to come to each of you.
29:34I'll start with you, Siddharth.
29:35Since so far, we've heard all critical voices of Gyanesh Kumar
29:38and indeed of the way the Election Commission has functioned.
29:42Some are going to the extent of saying
29:44all these elections under his leadership are suspect.
29:47Some want them to be cancelled,
29:48want Gyanesh Kumar to be arrested.
29:50Is the Modi government going to defend an election commissioner
29:53who's overruling his two colleagues
29:55who are calling his decisions unauthorized and illegal?
30:02Good evening, Rajdeep.
30:04Good evening to all your viewers.
30:06Rajdeep, I think that the sensationalizing
30:10of the entire episode of the allegations
30:14that have been put on Election Commission
30:16done by the opposition in this country today
30:18should not be done
30:20and it is immature of the opposition to do so.
30:23Why I am saying this?
30:24Let me put forth just two points
30:26to plainly put up what I feel about this
30:30and what BJP feels about this.
30:31Now, we have the 2023 Act, Rajdeep,
30:34where in Section 18 of the Act
30:36makes dissent part of the statute.
30:39Having dissent in the process of Election Commission,
30:42having dissent in the process of deliberation
30:44is not extraordinary,
30:47neither it is not called for.
30:49In any democratic institution,
30:51dissent is part of that.
30:52Now, if someone puts out internal notes
30:55from 10 months and 14 such notes
30:57where, say, dissent is recorded
30:59or there are differing opinions,
31:01when elections of major states are also happening,
31:04I don't see a reason why it has to be sensationalized.
31:07This is point number one.
31:09Point number two,
31:10when my...
31:11No, but this is not dissent.
31:12This is calling...
31:13No, no, one minute.
31:14This is not just dissent.
31:15This is calling...
31:16No, sir.
31:16Sir, sir, sir.
31:17Sir, sir.
31:18Sir, it's not just dissent, Siddhar.
31:20They are calling the decisions illegal and unauthorized.
31:23That's much more than just routine dissent.
31:25And these are serious issues
31:27involving lacks of deletions and additions.
31:34No, Rajdeep, I would disagree with you on that.
31:3740 new steps, new decisions have been taken
31:41in the past 10 months by the election commission.
31:44You give me one formal dissent note
31:46on a decision that has been taken.
31:48When a decision is taken
31:49and that decision is unanimous,
31:52when we don't have one dissent note
31:53on a final decision that is taken,
31:55how do we come to a conclusion
31:57that there was a dissent?
31:58This is point number one.
31:59Point number two,
31:59I'll give you one more logical explanation to this.
32:02Section 18.2 of the 2023 Act
32:06gives you that either the decision has to be unanimous
32:10or there has to be a majority.
32:12When the two election commissioners,
32:15when everybody is saying
32:16were against the decision,
32:17they are the majority.
32:19How can a decision be taken?
32:20If their dissent is there on record,
32:22when finally it is being decided,
32:24that decision cannot be passed
32:26because there is no supremacy to the CEC.
32:28This is by, you know,
32:30a precedent by the Honorable Supreme Court,
32:32which is included in the Act of the 2023,
32:35if both the election commissioners were not agreeing to any one act
32:39or any one decision of the election commission,
32:43that decision could not have been taken.
32:45So, I don't find the logic behind this.
32:47I don't understand where and how people are coming to the conclusion
32:51to the conclusion that there were no consensus
32:54when the final decision came out.
32:56Now, Radeep, there are two things.
32:58When internal deliberation is happening,
32:59if someone records and someone says that,
33:02you know, one step,
33:03we feel in the deliberation is illegal,
33:05there is a difference in deliberation
33:07when it is called illegal
33:08and the final outcome comes out.
33:10It's not like a Supreme Court bench calling out a decision illegal
33:14which has a finality.
33:15It is an election commission which is deliberating.
33:18Election commissioners are deliberating.
33:19If a note is given where they feel,
33:22you know, at this stage,
33:23whatever the case may have been at that point of time,
33:26whatever must have been going into finality,
33:28if they have a note to give,
33:30they have given that note,
33:31but has that dissent been recorded
33:33when the final decision was being taken?
33:34Absolutely not.
33:35So, how do you come to this conclusion
33:38that there was no consensus?
33:40Please, somebody explain me that.
33:42That is what I'm concerned about.
33:45Okay.
33:47Let Adil Singh Boparai explain that.
33:49Adil Singh Boparai, the fact is,
33:51there is a point there that on record,
33:53on record, the decisions were taken unanimously.
33:56That's what the press release is also saying.
33:58That there were disagreements in terms of opinion,
34:01but eventually the decisions were unanimous.
34:04Do you believe that therefore your case
34:07or the opposition's case would be much stronger
34:09if there were recorded dissents,
34:11which then could be used to suggest
34:14that Gyanesh Kumar overruled them
34:16and thereby committed an act of illegality
34:19under section 18 of the act?
34:22Mr. Sardasai, the BJP's sound and fury
34:25cannot hide the facts.
34:27If Mr. Gyanesh Gupta has an iota of shame left,
34:31he should tender his resignation.
34:33Now, let me deal with the assertions
34:35of my friend from the BJP.
34:37Number one, Ms. Ritika's article very clearly reveals
34:41that it is not just a process of internal noting
34:44prior to decision-making.
34:46There have been instances, for example,
34:49one, who authorized the filing of the appeals?
34:52Number two, who authorized the change of Form 6?
34:56Now, this is very crucial,
34:57and this targets the first-time voters.
34:59Form 6 is a statutory document.
35:03What you notice from the Indian Express investigation
35:06is that there was an insertion of a clause
35:09which said that the first-time voter must indicate
35:12whether his parent or his grandparents
35:14were part of the previous SIR.
35:16Once the form has been changed,
35:19it is at that stage that Mr. Sandhu said
35:21who authorized the changing of the form, number one,
35:24and as a corollary, this can only be done
35:27by the government of India.
35:29So, my friend should not play with facts.
35:32He should not indulge in verbal acrobatics.
35:34Here is a situation where,
35:36despite the opposition of two election commissioners,
35:40you have Mr. Gyanesh Kumar,
35:42a compromised individual,
35:44with the aid of the Prime Minister
35:46and the Prime Minister,
35:48authorizing orders by misrepresenting,
35:50and I'm saying this very consciously,
35:53by misrepresenting that these are the orders
35:55of the election commission of India.
35:56Number two, number three,
35:59the same...
36:00But shouldn't they have walked out then?
36:01No, no, but shouldn't they have walked out then?
36:04Then the election commissioners should have walked out.
36:06If the election commissioners' opinion
36:08on a serious issue like Form 6
36:10was being overruled
36:11and they had the majority,
36:13either they should have forced their view
36:15or they should have walked out
36:16and exposed Gyanesh Kumar much earlier.
36:19I can respond.
36:20Ideally, all the three election commissioners
36:22should come out and address the media.
36:24But having said this,
36:25on behalf of the Congress Party,
36:27and I hope Mr. Gupta is watching your program,
36:29on behalf of the Congress,
36:31let me assure the election commission of India
36:34that on returning to power,
36:36we will repeal the provision
36:38which provides for lifelong immunity
36:41from prosecution.
36:43for all election commissioners
36:44who've indulged in acts of omission and commission.
36:47This is treachery,
36:48this is treason,
36:50this is fraud
36:50with the voters of this country.
36:56I want to bring in Yogendra Yadav
36:58because Yogendra Yadav,
36:59out of all these various issues
37:00which have come up,
37:01the most serious one
37:03seems to be the manner
37:04in which a centralized software
37:06seemingly...
37:06Just a minute, sir.
37:07Just a minute.
37:08No, no.
37:08Just a minute, Mr. Yadav.
37:09A seemingly...
37:11One of the most serious issues
37:12seems to be the manner
37:13in which a centralized software
37:15was being used to overrule,
37:17to overrule what the SDM
37:21or the ERO on the ground,
37:22the election registration officer,
37:23the electoral registration officer,
37:25was doing,
37:25and thereby possibly putting in
37:27additional deletions.
37:28And in the case of Goa,
37:30even after documents
37:31were provided by 97 voters,
37:33the software said,
37:34no, they're not eligible.
37:37Is that the most serious thing,
37:39according to you?
37:40Because the government says there,
37:41or the election commission says,
37:43there's full data security,
37:45full cyber security,
37:46no one can infiltrate
37:47this centralized software system
37:49and deal with it arbitrarily.
37:53Rajseep,
37:54election commission's expectation
37:56today is rather funny.
37:58They're answering questions
37:59which no one asks.
38:00No one says it's infiltration.
38:02The question being asked is
38:04that the CEC authorized
38:07some people working
38:08within the election commission's office
38:11to do things
38:12which were completely illegal,
38:14according to the law of the land.
38:17Anything to do with voters list
38:19is the prerogative of the ERO,
38:21which is usually an SDM.
38:23And then appeal goes to the DM
38:24and appeal goes to CEO.
38:26The election commission sitting in Delhi
38:28has nothing to do with it.
38:30And the allegation is not
38:31that someone infiltrated.
38:33The allegation is that
38:35the election commission,
38:36the chief election commission,
38:38acting on behalf of the election commission,
38:40authorized his own staff,
38:42people working under him,
38:44to carry out this fraudulent act.
38:47And this is not something about
38:48which we have come to know today, Rajseep.
38:50If you remember West Bengal elections,
38:52a number of EROs
38:55had officially written
38:57to the election commission.
38:58The letter was produced
39:00in the courts to say,
39:04notices are being issued
39:05in our names
39:06without our knowledge.
39:08That from Delhi,
39:09these notices are being sent.
39:11It's my prerogative
39:12to send these notices.
39:13I don't even know
39:14who's sending it in my name.
39:15All this is public knowledge, Rajseep.
39:17This is not new.
39:18What we are witnessing today, Rajseep,
39:20is not merely impropriety,
39:24not merely a breakdown of norms.
39:27We are looking at illegality,
39:29plain and simple.
39:30And this is why
39:31what we have witnessed today,
39:33and my thanks to India,
39:34to the Indian Express,
39:36you know,
39:36the country doesn't normally
39:37get to see this kind of
39:40brave journalism.
39:41So I must show this.
39:42I must thank them for it.
39:44This is the tipping point, Rajseep,
39:46because this is not merely about,
39:48as I said,
39:49breakdown of norms.
39:50What it shows is that
39:52a constitutional institution,
39:54like the Election Commission of India,
39:56is working in a completely
39:59unconstitutional way
40:00that it is carrying out
40:02illegalities.
40:03Now, change in Form 6.
40:05What is SIR about?
40:07Any revision of voters list
40:08is about inclusion and exclusion.
40:11Inclusion is based on Form 6,
40:12and it has been conclusively proven today
40:15that Election Commission
40:17was doing something
40:19which, according to two
40:21Election Commissions of India,
40:23was illegal,
40:24namely changing a form
40:26which is the prerogative
40:28of the government,
40:28and then it has to be laid
40:30on the Parliament's floor.
40:31This was being done
40:32by bypassing the Parliament.
40:34Now, this is a legal point.
40:35It's not only a difference
40:37of opinion.
40:38This is purely an allegation
40:40of illegality.
40:42And since someone claimed
40:44on behalf of PJP
40:46that the two election commissioners
40:49thereafter said
40:50that they are part of the decision,
40:52well, in that case,
40:54they are deceiving the country.
40:55Yes.
40:55So let us have a written statement
40:56from these two election commissioners
40:58to say that the point
40:59that they were making
41:00about illegality in those letters,
41:02so either someone has to show
41:03that those letters are fraud,
41:05today's election commissioners
41:07clarification does not claim
41:08that any of those four letters
41:10that the Indian Express
41:10has claimed were fraudulent.
41:12So if those letters
41:13were not fraudulent,
41:14then you have to demonstrate
41:15that they have withdrawn
41:17these allegations,
41:19that they have changed their mind
41:20and they were misleading
41:21the country.
41:21What exactly are we looking at?
41:23And to my mind, Rajdeep,
41:25the overall evidence
41:26that we have seen today
41:27points to some absolute basics.
41:30Number one,
41:31Mr. Gyanesh Kumar's
41:34continuation as a CEC
41:36is untenable.
41:37I would actually go forward
41:39and say something
41:40you don't expect.
41:41To my mind,
41:41the continuation
41:43of the other two gentlemen
41:44is also untenable
41:46because they are not the one
41:48bringing this information
41:49to the country.
41:50What were they doing
41:51if they thought
41:52that something illegal
41:53was happening?
41:54Two persons,
41:55why did they not requisition
41:57a meeting of the commission?
41:58And if they requisitioned
42:00the meeting
42:00and was not being held,
42:02why did they not approach
42:03the president of India?
42:04What were they doing
42:05writing to the cabinet secretary?
42:07Is cabinet secretary
42:08the boss of election commission
42:09of India?
42:10So to my mind,
42:11the entire election commission
42:13must go.
42:14To my mind,
42:15the evidence
42:16that we have seen today
42:17on SIR
42:18means that
42:20all the SIR
42:21must be
42:22completely reviewed
42:23because
42:24both inclusion
42:25and exclusion
42:26have been shown
42:27to be fraudulent.
42:28And to my mind,
42:30all the elections
42:31held
42:31from Bihar
42:33onwards
42:33must be
42:35annulled
42:35and held
42:36afresh.
42:37This is the kind of thing
42:39that we are looking at
42:40and we are witnessing
42:41a tipping point.
42:43We had earlier
42:44seen this election commission.
42:45We have seen
42:46Rajiv,
42:47this election commission
42:48being accused
42:48of Jugalbandi.
42:49We had seen
42:50those cringe conference.
42:52We had seen
42:52election commission's
42:53popularity in DIP.
42:55But today,
42:55we have seen
42:56nothing short of
42:57illegality,
42:59fraudulence
42:59and breakdown
43:00of a constitutional
43:01institution.
43:05Those are very
43:06strong words
43:07you are using.
43:07Rajat Sethi,
43:08you heard what
43:09Yogendra Yadav
43:10is saying,
43:11annul elections
43:11that have taken
43:12place since Bihar,
43:13all three election
43:14commissioners must go
43:15because they have
43:16effectively participated
43:17or endorsed
43:18an illegality,
43:19particularly when it
43:20comes to Form 6.
43:21How do you respond?
43:22Do you believe
43:23this is an exaggeration,
43:24a sensationalism,
43:25or the election
43:26commission needs
43:28to give us
43:28more details,
43:29not just one
43:30perfunctory press
43:31release released
43:32by some junior
43:32officer?
43:35Well,
43:35I agree,
43:36Rajdeep Ji.
43:36I'm not a fan
43:37of this EC
43:38in any terms
43:39the way
43:40some of the
43:41words that were
43:42used by the
43:43CEC earlier
43:44to address
43:45some of the
43:45opposition leaders
43:46were uncalled for.
43:47And therefore,
43:49his public conduct
43:50is not an ideal
43:52conduct.
43:52But the revelations
43:53that have happened
43:54through the
43:55Indian Express,
43:57they call into
43:58a question,
43:59there are some
43:59very, very serious
44:00questions that are
44:01there.
44:01A, the two
44:03election commissioners,
44:04I mean,
44:05the CEC is only
44:06first among the
44:07equals.
44:08The three
44:10election commissioners
44:11could have sat
44:12together on these
44:13deliberations.
44:14Did the two
44:15commissioners
44:16disagree collectively
44:17on a certain
44:18topic,
44:18making the whole
44:19decision illegal
44:20ab initio?
44:21or, you know,
44:23the two
44:24commissioners
44:25disagreed on
44:26different issues
44:27and the majority
44:28was still with
44:28the decision
44:29that was taken?
44:30Now, these
44:30details we don't
44:31know.
44:32There are several
44:32such questions
44:33wherein only the
44:34election commission
44:35and the three of
44:36them collectively
44:36addressing the
44:37media can solve
44:38and answer those
44:39questions.
44:40Otherwise,
44:41mostly the
44:41assumptions that
44:42we are living in
44:43is that these
44:44decisions that were
44:45taken by election
44:46commission were
44:47illegal because
44:48there was no
44:49majority, if not
44:50a consensus.
44:51Now, this, in
44:52order to establish
44:52this, you know,
44:54the best way is
44:55that they come out
44:55public, they show
44:56the documents or
44:57whatever.
44:57But also, the
44:59conduct of the
44:59two commissioners
45:00when they go to
45:01a cabinet secretary,
45:02I don't know
45:03under what rules
45:04did they actually
45:05go out and
45:05approach a cabinet
45:06secretary on this
45:07question when
45:08clearly they knew
45:09that there is an
45:10independence of
45:11this constitutional
45:11body, it's a
45:12quasi-judicial
45:13body, and they
45:14don't have to go
45:15and show deference
45:16to a cabinet
45:17secretary at all.
45:18So, I don't
45:18understand the
45:19conduct of the
45:20two commissioners
45:20as well.
45:21I also don't
45:22understand the
45:23conduct wherein if
45:24the two commissioners
45:25are on one side
45:26on a decision, they
45:27could have called
45:28the full-fledged
45:29meeting of the
45:29election commission
45:30on their own.
45:31Because, as I
45:32said, they are
45:34first among equals,
45:35they could have
45:35called the decision
45:36and annulled those
45:37decisions.
45:38So, maybe, maybe
45:39here the question
45:40is that there was
45:41a majority number
45:42on these decisions,
45:43and this can only
45:45and only be
45:45clarified by the
45:46election commission
45:47itself.
45:47we can only be
45:48doing kite flying
45:49at best because we
45:50really don't know
45:51what has happened.
45:52Maybe there is a
45:52full majority or
45:54the majority of the
45:56two that is required
45:57on these decisions,
45:57and I think Supreme
45:58Court, in all its
45:59judgment, on the
46:01procedural aspects of
46:02SIR has been,
46:03that's a very
46:03different debate.
46:05And Supreme Court
46:05has been monitoring
46:06all of those
46:07deliberations, and
46:08there's those oral
46:10orders and whatever
46:11Supreme Court has
46:12said is there in
46:13black and white
46:13before all of us.
46:14So, I don't go to
46:15the extent of
46:16calling into
46:16question the entire
46:17SIR process.
46:19Of course, if the
46:20decisions taken by
46:21EC did not have
46:22the requisite
46:23majority, then
46:24ab initio, these
46:25decisions become
46:26null and void.
46:26Now, that is the
46:27core legal question
46:29which only the
46:30election commission
46:30can answer, and
46:31therefore, it's a
46:32crisis, and
46:33certainly the
46:34election commission
46:34should come out
46:35clean on this
46:36collectively.
46:38Rajat, can I just
46:39add one line to
46:39what Rajat has
46:40said?
46:41I want to give
46:42one minute to
46:43Siddharth.
46:46Yogendra, I have
46:47to give Siddharth a
46:49last minute, but I
46:51want to give him,
46:51because everyone
46:52has come out very
46:53strongly, critically
46:54against the
46:55election commission
46:56today, including
46:57Rajat.
46:58Siddharth, are you
47:00defending the
47:01indefensible?
47:02The fact is,
47:04prima facie
47:05illegalities seemingly
47:06have taken place.
47:08Form 6 is one
47:09example of it.
47:10Change is taking
47:11place without
47:12necessarily build,
47:15this should have
47:16gone through
47:16parliament, all of
47:18this.
47:19Don't you think the
47:20BJP should also
47:21demand that the
47:22election commission
47:22come clean?
47:23Otherwise, the
47:24suspicion is that
47:25the BJP and the
47:26election commission
47:27are in a
47:27Jugalbandi.
47:32Rajdeep, neither I
47:33am defending the
47:33election commission
47:34nor I need to.
47:35I am defending
47:36logic here.
47:37But yes, I do
47:38need to defend the
47:38sanctity of all
47:39institutions of our
47:40country as a
47:41fellow Indian.
47:42When opposition
47:43would choose on
47:45baseless arguments to
47:46question everything, all
47:47constitutional institutions
47:48of this country, I
47:49think it is the
47:50onus is upon all of
47:51us to defend the
47:52sanctity on logical
47:54grounds.
47:54Now, just three
47:55points, very basic
47:56points.
47:56Number one, if both
47:57the election
47:58commissioners are
47:59against one decision
48:00and they find it
48:01illegal, Section 18
48:032 will not let that
48:04decision happen.
48:05It's very clear,
48:07either unanimous or
48:08by majority.
48:09If they were against
48:10it, the majority was
48:11against it, the
48:12decision cannot go.
48:13This is point number
48:13one.
48:14Point number two,
48:15when we say about
48:16dissent, dissent is
48:18mandated in the
48:19statute.
48:20Dissent has to come
48:20in.
48:21Dissent was there.
48:22It was justified.
48:23But dissent, a
48:24formal dissent on a
48:26formal decision has
48:27not come out.
48:28Now, I would not
48:28want to be so
48:29illogical to say
48:30no, despite no
48:32formal dissent on a
48:34without a formal
48:35dissent on a
48:36formal outcome
48:38without being there,
48:39I would say no,
48:40no, there was no
48:40consensus.
48:41I don't want to go
48:41to that conclusion.
48:42Point number three,
48:43when form 6 is
48:44discussed in May
48:452026, the election
48:48commission had come
48:49out with a
48:49declaration form.
48:50Now, declaration, a
48:52separate declaration
48:52form is not amending
48:54form 6.
48:55If anybody thinks
48:56that this is illegal,
48:58if anybody thinks
48:58that this is a
48:59change or amendment
49:00to form 6, people
49:01are open to go to
49:02the court.
49:03Why would we want
49:04to take all decisions
49:05here when a
49:06separate declaration
49:07form only to map
49:08out what is laid
49:10out, where a
49:11decision is taken by
49:12all election
49:12commissioners with no
49:14formal dissent note?
49:15I am not defending
49:16the election commission,
49:16Rajdeep, just
49:17defending the logic.
49:20Rajdeep, can I just
49:21say one thing?
49:21Okay, I am glad.
49:23Rajdeep, just one thing.
49:25Yes, yes, very quickly.
49:26The entire discussion
49:26assumes that election
49:27commission was taking
49:28decisions.
49:29On 16th of April, Mr.
49:31Vivek Joshi is saying
49:33there are no agenda,
49:35there are no minutes.
49:37So, where is the
49:38question of dissent?
49:39In fact, election
49:40commission is not taking
49:41decisions.
49:42Both of them are saying
49:43we learn about decisions
49:44from the media.
49:46This is the reality.
49:47Of course, I blame
49:48all the three for this.
49:49But let us not get
49:51into these formal
49:51nuances of dissent.
49:53When no decisions
49:54are being taken,
49:54when no minutes
49:55are being kept,
49:56this is a complete
49:57fraudulence of a
49:58constitutionalist
49:59situation.
49:59Can I just get
50:0030 seconds, Mr.
50:01Sardashai?
50:02Oh my goodness.
50:03The election commission
50:13of India has been
50:14replaced with a
50:15criminal enterprise.
50:16It's been replaced
50:18with a criminal
50:18enterprise where you
50:19have one election
50:20commissioner masquerading
50:22his majority and
50:23issuing orders.
50:25His colleagues are
50:26coming out on the
50:27file saying when
50:28our commission
50:29has not been
50:29served.
50:32You, okay, I've
50:34heard all of you
50:35patiently, I've
50:36heard all of you
50:36patiently, time for
50:37my take.
50:38I appreciate all of
50:39you joining us.
50:40The election commission,
50:42my friends, cannot
50:43brush aside the
50:44latest revelations
50:45of the Indian
50:46Express as an
50:47internal disagreement
50:48or hide behind the
50:50word collective or
50:51of formal orders.
50:53Two of its
50:54own election
50:55commissioners have
50:56repeatedly raised
50:58concerns about the
50:59centralized control
51:00of the electoral
51:01role software of
51:02the manner in which
51:03Form 6 was being
51:05pushed, including
51:06giving us instances
51:07in the case of the
51:08software where
51:09ground level officers
51:10officers were not
51:12allowed to implement
51:14decisions they were
51:15legally empowered to
51:17take or they were
51:17overruled.
51:18So there is only one
51:20credible way now to
51:21settle this.
51:22An independent
51:23forensic audit of the
51:25software and its
51:26audit trails, every
51:28addition, deletion,
51:29modification and
51:30reversal across every
51:31state and constituency.
51:32Who made the change,
51:34where, when, under
51:36whose authorization and
51:37whether the statutory
51:38officer's decision was
51:40overridden, must all
51:41be established.
51:42This is not about the
51:43integrity of the
51:44voter list, not of,
51:46this is about the
51:46integrity of the
51:47voter list, not about
51:49partisan politics.
51:50And as the chief
51:51election commissioner,
51:52Gyanesh Kumar cannot
51:53escape responsibility by
51:55saying the commission
51:56functions collectively.
51:59Also, his two
52:00colleagues must also
52:02come on record and
52:03tell us whether they
52:04eventually agreed with
52:05the decisions that were
52:07being taken.
52:07The buck must stop
52:09somewhere, my friends.
52:11And frankly, it must
52:12stop with the chief
52:13election commissioner.
52:15He must be the one
52:16who must answer.
52:17And if he doesn't do
52:19so satisfactorily, then
52:21no election, I repeat,
52:23no election under
52:24Gyanesh Kumar's
52:25leadership can be seen
52:27as credible and
52:28honest.
52:29Think about it.
52:31Let's turn to the big
52:32story that's been
52:33breaking also at this
52:35moment.
52:35There's been another big
52:36development in the IIT
52:38Bombay student death
52:39case.
52:40On camera now, the CCTV
52:42footage accessed by India
52:43today shows that the
52:45professor who's been
52:46targeted, Professor Dula,
52:47confronts the young
52:49student who died by
52:50suicide, Sahil Wakode.
52:52And Sahil is seen
52:54handing over his phone
52:55to the professor.
52:56Remember, there were
52:57charges that Sahil had
52:58used the phone to
53:00access Chad GPT
53:02during an examination.
53:04Sahil is later asked to
53:05leave by Professor
53:06Dula.
53:07Sahil died by suicide
53:09within hours of having
53:10got caught, allegedly
53:11copying in that
53:13examination.
53:14So, amidst all the
53:15charges of caste
53:16discrimination which
53:17have been made against
53:18Professor Dula, at
53:19least the CCTV footage
53:20clearly shows him for
53:21now taking the phone
53:23away from Sahil,
53:24allegedly because Sahil
53:25was misusing it to
53:27engage in copying
53:28during the exam.
53:29I'm joined by
53:29Devesh Singh.
53:30Devesh, the police
53:32is, this is one piece
53:33of evidence that the
53:34police has.
53:34Is it conclusive
53:35according to the
53:36police or are they
53:37still going to be
53:38questioning all the
53:39major stakeholders
53:40including the
53:41professor and the
53:42other students?
53:48Well, Radheep, this
53:49is one piece of
53:51evidence that has
53:52come to light that
53:53is underproved, that
53:54is being proved, that
53:56is being checked by
53:57police officials, by
53:58Mumbai crime branch
53:59officials, as where
54:01the incident records
54:02that Sahil was
54:04allegedly looking into
54:06his mobile phone, he
54:07was allegedly using
54:08his mobile phone and
54:09then the video shows
54:10the professor confronting
54:12him and then leading
54:14him out.
54:14So, this is one piece
54:16of crucial evidence in
54:17the case which is
54:18being checked by the
54:20police.
54:21There are other
54:21evidences also.
54:22Also, as per the
54:24procedure, evidences
54:25will be recorded, witness
54:27statements will be
54:28recorded.
54:28So, there are four to
54:30five students who are
54:31present inside the
54:32examination hall.
54:33Also, few of them are
54:34friends of the
54:36deceased boy Sahil, whose
54:38statements have been
54:39recorded.
54:40Also, the statement of
54:42professor Dula will be
54:43recorded.
54:44As per procedure, his
54:46statement will also be
54:47taken.
54:47Remember, there are
54:49allegations against
54:50professor Dula of
54:52abatement to suicide and
54:54using caste-based
54:56slurs against Sahil
54:58allegedly.
54:59But, that needs to be
55:01proved.
55:01And that is why
55:02statements will be
55:03recorded.
55:04But, the key evidence
55:06over here is the CCTV
55:07footage which points
55:09out to the incident
55:10where Sahil Vakode was
55:12allegedly trying to
55:14upload or he had
55:16allegedly uploaded the
55:18question paper on Chad
55:19GPD and was writing
55:20down answers from his
55:22mobile phone to the
55:23answer sheet when he is
55:25confronted by the
55:26professor in the
55:28examination hall and
55:29then taken out.
55:30So, this is a crucial
55:31piece of evidence.
55:31but, there will be other
55:33evidence which will be
55:34recorded, which will be
55:36collected and it
55:37includes statements of
55:39students, statements of
55:41friends of Sahil, statements
55:43of authorities at the
55:45IIT, statements including
55:46that of professor Surya
55:48Narayan Dula will be
55:49recorded.
55:53Okay, we'll wait and
55:54see what happens from
55:56that statement that the
55:58professor makes in that
55:59case.
56:00Now, I want to turn to
56:01another story, this time
56:03from the national capital
56:04where a rape case has
56:06triggered a safety scare
56:07in one of the country's
56:09premier women colleges,
56:10the Lady Sriram College,
56:12which today was
56:13considering online classes
56:15after one of the
56:16accused in the gang
56:17rape case in Kalkaji
56:18was encountered or was
56:20shot at by the police
56:21barely 50 meters away
56:23from the back gate of
56:25the college.
56:25The college held
56:26classes online today
56:28and offline classes
56:29will only resume
56:31tomorrow.
56:32Today, the students
56:33spoke to us and said
56:34that the fear remains
56:35and they've even taken
56:36to the street to
56:38protest sexual violence,
56:40demand safer public
56:41spaces.
56:42Take a look at that
56:43big story.
56:46Right now, we are trying to
56:48accommodate online classes
56:49in our college.
56:51India today broke the
56:52story first.
56:54Fear stalking one of
56:56Delhi's premier women's
56:57colleges after one of the
56:59accused in the Kalkaji
57:00gang rape case was
57:01encountered barely 50 meters
57:04from the back gate of Lady
57:05Sriram College.
57:07The college suspended
57:08physical classes on
57:09Wednesday.
57:10As the students were scared,
57:13LSR went online.
57:15The 17-year-old, a student,
57:18was allegedly gang-raped
57:19by three men who posed as
57:21policemen at Aastha Kunsh Park.
57:24A DDA managed public space
57:26barely 3.5 kilometers from
57:28LSR.
57:29And then came the encounter,
57:31just 50 meters from the
57:33college gate.
57:35For students living,
57:37studying and commuting
57:38through this stretch, the
57:40horror was suddenly at their
57:41doorstep.
57:42While LSR held classes
57:44online today, offline
57:46classes resume Thursday.
57:48But the fear remains.
57:51Campus is the safest I've
57:52ever felt in Delhi.
57:53This is the only place
57:54where I feel safe in Delhi.
57:56This is, I wish Delhi
57:58was something like this.
57:59But then around campus,
58:00in Delhi, I don't think
58:01there's a speck of
58:04doubt regarding how
58:06unsafe girls feel.
58:07I haven't used the back
58:08gate since first year
58:09because I've heard about
58:10all of these incidents
58:11and I don't want, like,
58:13you know, be at all, like,
58:15at risk.
58:15So I haven't used the
58:16back gate.
58:17But people who live at
58:18National Park in Pidgeys,
58:20they have no other option
58:21to come from, or to come
58:22from the back gate.
58:27Students took their anger
58:28through the streets,
58:29protesting the rising cases
58:31of sexual violence and
58:33demanding safer public
58:34spaces.
58:38A women's college
58:39went online after a
58:41rape case.
58:42But why should women
58:43retreat when crimes
58:45are committed against
58:46them?
58:46Why is staying home
58:48the safety solution
58:49instead of making
58:50streets, campuses
58:51and neighborhoods
58:52safer?
58:54With Preeti Chaudhary
58:55and Shriya Kundu,
58:57Bureau Report,
58:58India Today.
59:02Well, let's end this day
59:04with some happier news.
59:06The one and only
59:06Mirabai Chanu,
59:07one of India's
59:08greatest sportspersons,
59:09today achieved another
59:11landmark.
59:11She finally broke her
59:13jinx at the Asian Games,
59:14winning a silver in
59:16weightlifting.
59:16Mirabai has won medals
59:18across various international
59:19competitions,
59:20but an Asian Games
59:22medal had always
59:23eluded her.
59:24To my mind,
59:24she is one of the
59:25greatest sportspersons
59:26India has produced
59:28in recent times.
59:29The pride of
59:30Manipur,
59:31Mirabai Chanu
59:31winning silver
59:32in the Asian Games.
59:35I leave you with that.
59:37Thank you for joining me.
59:39Good night.
59:40Goodbye.
59:41Subratri.
59:41Jaihin Namaskar.
59:42That was the news
59:43without the noise.
59:45Bye for now.