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Political battle erupts over EC as Rahul Gandhi attacks poll panel
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00:00Good evening, you're watching NewsTrack with me, Maria Shaquille.
00:03What began as a reported rift within the poll panel has now snowballed into a full-blown political war.
00:10Rahul Gandhi led the opposition's charge, launching a frontal attack on the BJP,
00:15Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar.
00:21Calling the CEC a desh drohi, Rahul Gandhi said, Gyanesh Kumar must turn approver and resign.
00:28He also accused the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of vote theft and called them Gyanesh Kumar's protectors.
00:36This comes as the India bloc prepares an impeachment motion against the CEC Gyanesh Kumar,
00:43while the CJP has issued a 48-hour resignation ultimatum.
00:47The BJP has countered the vote-tory charge, saying there is anti-incumbency against the Congress
00:53and that the SIR exercise has rattled the opposition.
00:56As the political bickering escalates, the question now is, will Gyanesh Kumar step down?
01:04Or will the opposition's attempt to bring an impeachment motion against him fall apart yet again?
01:12Before I bring in the guests, here's a report.
01:16I want you to listen to these videos carefully.
01:44A big charge by the leader of opposition, In Lok Sabha.
01:48Now, BJP wants to stay in power for 50 years and Gyanesh Kumar is helping them do the same.
01:54Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says Indian elections since Gyanesh Kumar took charge have been rigged.
02:11He has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of protecting Gyanesh Kumar.
02:18Rahul also said Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will be investigated
02:23for election fraud and call them all Deshdu Rohis.
02:29And the reason nothing happened
02:35to all their letters
02:37was because there was a protector of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar
02:40or protectors of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar sitting on top of Mr. Gyanesh Kumar.
02:45He asserted that Gyanesh Kumar has acted against the nation and his time is up.
02:53Is Mr. Gyanesh Kumar must resign immediately?
02:58As Rahul leads the opposition's charge,
03:00the opposition is also preparing
03:02to move a fresh impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
03:07Congress sources have told India today
03:09the notice for the motion is being drafted
03:11and could be submitted in Parliament as early as next week.
03:16I have come today to the Parliament Street Police Station
03:19and given a complaint to the police station here
03:23against Chor Gyanesh Kumar,
03:25Gyanesh Chor Kumar,
03:27the sorry figure who is the
03:29Chief Election Commissioner of this country.
03:32And apparently he enjoys immunity
03:35under the CEC and EC Act of 2023, Section 16,
03:39which says that the Election Commissioners enjoy immunity
03:42from civil and criminal prosecution
03:43in the discharge of their duties.
04:13Remember, Gyanesh Kumar has come under fire
04:15over an Indian Express report which revealed repeated objections
04:19from two election commissioners over the SIR exercise,
04:23raising questions over changes to Form 6,
04:26control of electoral roll data
04:28and the way the voter deletion appeals were filed in Bengal.
04:34Fourteen objections in ten months,
04:37a political storm outside
04:39and a denial of any internal rift within the election commission.
04:43EC says it views differing opinions
04:46as a normal part of its internal checks and balances.
04:50The BJP, which is also in the eye of the storm,
04:53has backed the poll panel.
04:54The BJP said there is anti-incumbency against the Congress
04:58and rejected the opposition allegation
05:00that Gyanesh Kumar's appointment as CEC
05:03has been advantageous to the Safran Party.
05:28Earlier, BJP had cited how past election commissioners
05:32in the U.P.A. era were given prestigious awards and top positions
05:35alleging those who are meant to benefit the Congress.
05:39From KVK Sundaram to RK Trivedi,
05:42from MS Gill to Naveen Chawla,
05:44the party cited many names to target the Congress.
06:12What authority did Sonia have?
06:16The express report has opened up a Pandora's box
06:19and the war of words have just begun
06:22and will continue.
06:24Bureau Report, India Today.
06:29And joining me on the show tonight,
06:31U.P. Rawat, former Chief Election Commissioner of India,
06:34is joining us.
06:35Siddharth Yadav is National Spokesperson of the BJP
06:38and also the Advocate of the Supreme Court.
06:40We have Dr. Nishant Anand,
06:42who is also the Advocate of the Supreme Court
06:44and National Spokesperson of the Congress Party.
06:46And Rajat Sethi is a Political Analyst.
06:49I'm going to begin with you, Mr. Rawat.
06:51The Congress is asking for resignation.
06:55The entire opposition says
06:57that the present CEC's position has become untenable.
07:02Is it so?
07:04I personally feel that the matter is in the hands of CEC.
07:12if he takes both his colleagues into confidence,
07:16sit down together,
07:18irons out all the misgivings
07:20and makes a clean slate
07:23in front of public through media
07:24as early as possible.
07:27Things will be very different.
07:32If there is no criminality involved,
07:34then why is this position making...
07:39Then why is the opposition here saying
07:41that he should resign?
07:42Why should CEC resign here?
07:45If it's about difference of opinion,
07:47and Mr. Rawat,
07:48you were on the show yesterday,
07:49you were of the opinion
07:50that during your tenure also,
07:53there were difference of opinion
07:55within the commission.
07:57And that the final decision
07:58is always taken unanimously.
08:00Then what really is the issue here?
08:04Such differences of opinion
08:06are always there on many issues.
08:09And the three brains put together
08:11bring a lot of intelligent inputs
08:14on the table.
08:16And when every one of them
08:19understands each other's point of view
08:21and come to a consensus,
08:23then a valuable decision is taken.
08:26And therefore,
08:27the process is all right.
08:28And that is what is claimed
08:29by the ECI's press note.
08:32Okay.
08:32Let me bring in Dr. Nishant.
08:35Nishant Anand,
08:36help us understand
08:37why is the Congress Party
08:38demanding resignation
08:39of Gyanesh Kumar?
08:42Hi.
08:43Good evening to all.
08:43See, first I'll start by saying
08:45vote churi is a crime
08:46against the Indian people
08:49and a direct attack
08:50on our constitution.
08:51And I'll give you a few records.
08:5313 crore voter names
08:54has been removed
08:55nationally under SIR.
08:57Today, the question
08:58is not just about the vote churi.
09:00The question is about
09:01the government takeover
09:02of India, democracy
09:03and its institutions.
09:05The election commission
09:06is the baby.
09:07And the Gyanesh Kumar
09:08is the bathwater.
09:09On Gyanesh Kumar vote churi,
09:11the BJP has already done
09:12two press conferences yesterday.
09:14But the EC,
09:15the election commission
09:16hasn't come forward
09:17even once.
09:18There's no dialogue
09:18or no one's
09:19not come forward.
09:21Understand how serious
09:22the matter is.
09:23The dealer,
09:24the election commission
09:25has stepped aside
09:26and the client,
09:27BJP,
09:27has shown up directly.
09:29Rahul Gandhi
09:30clearly stated
09:31he questioned the change
09:32in the way
09:33election commissioners
09:34are appointed.
09:35He challenged
09:36the lifelong immunity
09:37granted to EC.
09:39He exposed vote churi
09:40multiple times.
09:42He campaigned
09:43against the SIR.
09:44Every time
09:45his warnings
09:46were dismissed
09:46as fabrications.
09:48On vote churi,
09:49what we have been saying
09:50has been acknowledged
09:51by the two election commissioners.
09:53How?
09:54We also said...
09:55How?
09:56How are
09:58the two election commissioners,
10:00Mr. Sandhu
10:01and Mr. Joshu,
10:02acknowledging
10:02that there is vote churi?
10:04Let me answer.
10:05Yes.
10:05Sure.
10:05Earlier,
10:06these institutions
10:07denied our claims.
10:08Now it has been acknowledged
10:09by them as said.
10:12What Congress
10:13and Rahul Gandhi
10:13have been saying
10:14for the past three years
10:15is true
10:16that Mr. Gyanesh Kumar
10:18has been helping
10:18in stealing elections.
10:20Two sitting election commissioners
10:23raised 14 objections
10:24over 10 months
10:25to the way electoral process
10:27were being handled.
10:29They always say
10:30anti-incumbency
10:31is the biggest political force
10:33but it never seems
10:34to touch Modi and Shah.
10:35Now two election commissioners
10:37have themselves revealed
10:38the reasons.
10:39Number one,
10:39if Narendra Modi
10:41and Gyanesh Kumar
10:42continue to dismantle
10:44India's voting system,
10:45the Congress
10:46and the entire opposition
10:48will not...
10:49because the two election commissioners
10:51that you're talking about
10:52and O.P. Rawat
10:53who has been
10:54a CEC himself
10:56is of the opinion
10:57that this is how
10:58the election commission
10:59functions.
11:00That there are disagreements
11:01at multiple stages
11:02during the discussion process
11:03and when the final discussion
11:05happens,
11:06final decision is taken,
11:07it's taken unanimously.
11:08But I agree with you
11:09on one point.
11:10That why is the election commission
11:12not doing a press conference?
11:14That why is it that the BJP
11:16is coming out in defense
11:17of election commission?
11:18Siddharth Yadav,
11:19respond to that.
11:20No, one moment.
11:21Siddharth Yadav,
11:22respond to that.
11:23Why is the BJP
11:24responding to all the charges
11:26which are being raised
11:27about functioning
11:28of a constitutional body,
11:30an independent
11:31constitutional body
11:32which should be responding
11:33to all the charges
11:35which are being raised now
11:37about its functioning?
11:39Good evening, Maria.
11:40Good evening to all your viewers.
11:42Maria,
11:43neither I'm here
11:43to defend the election commission
11:45nor I'm here
11:46to answer on behalf
11:47of the election commission
11:48nor BJP has been doing so.
11:50But if you would hear
11:51the charges made
11:52by the opposition,
11:53you would understand
11:54that there are not
11:54any charges,
11:56any proofs against
11:56the election commission.
11:57It's a rhetoric building,
12:00narrative building exercise
12:01that's happening
12:02against the BJP.
12:03So when Rahul Gandhi
12:04comes out and says
12:05that, oh,
12:05we have proofs for everything
12:06and now we can prove everything
12:08and it was the BJP
12:09who was giving instructions
12:10upon whom
12:11X, Y, Z was happening
12:13and people are unable
12:14to understand
12:15that if you have proofs
12:17then go to the court
12:17and prove it.
12:18You are accusing the BJP
12:20and therefore BJP
12:21has to answer.
12:22Now, I'll give you
12:23just two pinpointed answers.
12:25Number one,
12:26I can't understand
12:27the entire fiasco,
12:30the entire argument
12:31of why Rahul Gandhi
12:32would say,
12:33you know,
12:34what is anti-incumbency?
12:36I can't understand
12:37anti-incumbency.
12:3816 times in a row,
12:40they have won
12:4113 times in a row,
12:43they have won Amethi.
12:44What happened to the argument
12:45of anti-incumbency there?
12:46Leave that.
12:47I'll flip the coin.
12:48I'll flip the coin.
12:49For decades,
12:50they have been out of power
12:51in Tamil Nadu.
12:52For decades,
12:53they have been out of power
12:54in Bengal.
12:55For decades,
12:55they have been out of power
12:56in BR.
12:57Long before BJP
12:58was in power.
12:59What happened to the question
13:00of who's winning elections?
13:02Let me give you
13:03another example.
13:04Now, when they say
13:05what sure is happening?
13:06You know,
13:06my learned friends
13:07from the Congress Party
13:07are also saying
13:08for I don't know
13:09how this conclusion
13:10is coming out.
13:10from whatever reports
13:12have come out
13:13that vote show is happening.
13:14The 20 seats
13:15in West Bengal
13:16where voters
13:18were deleted
13:19in the highest form,
13:20out of them,
13:2213 were won by TMC,
13:24one was won by Congress,
13:25only six by BJP.
13:27So, where voters
13:28are deleted
13:28to the highest extent,
13:30it's the TMC winning.
13:31But this is not the issue,
13:33Maria.
13:33The issue is
13:34why is the opposition
13:36and Congress Party
13:37trying to delegitimize
13:39constitutional institutions
13:41in the country?
13:41Why is this attack
13:43on the trust
13:44that Indian people have
13:45on how our democracy functions?
13:48And the reason simply
13:49is the frustration
13:50of losing elections
13:51after elections
13:54has now gotten
13:55to the head
13:55of Rahul Gandhi.
13:57Now, he can't understand
13:58how do you justify
13:58that you are losing elections,
14:00you are unable
14:01to win the trust
14:02of the people,
14:03you are unable
14:03to gather support
14:04from the people,
14:05and then you have
14:06to do something.
14:06But this is most unfortunate.
14:08This is disservice
14:09to the country.
14:10If anybody chooses
14:11that you can't take
14:13order from the losses
14:13and then you question
14:15the election commission.
14:15If the CEC
14:16is facing
14:18all the questions,
14:20then he should come out
14:21and clarify,
14:21which hasn't happened.
14:23That's why...
14:25Maria, he should come out
14:27five times,
14:28he should come out
14:2820 times.
14:29Not my prerogative
14:30to answer.
14:31Election commission
14:32is a constitutional body.
14:34Independent constitutional body,
14:36they must come clean
14:37about all the charge
14:38that is being levelled.
14:39I agree with you.
14:40Maria, I'm here
14:40to answer on logic.
14:42I'm here to answer
14:43on basic logic.
14:43You are saying
14:44about anti-incremency.
14:46That's why I want
14:46to take opening comments
14:47also from Rajat Sethi
14:49and then I'll go back
14:49to the functioning
14:50of this body
14:51and that's where
14:53Rupi Rawat
14:53will be coming in.
14:54But Rajat Sethi,
14:57I'm trying to understand
14:58that this is not
15:00really a storm
15:01in the teacup.
15:01Let's be clear.
15:02this time
15:03there is
15:04much more
15:06than what
15:07meets the eye.
15:09It's evident
15:10that
15:10the entire opposition
15:12is going after
15:13Gyanesh Kumar.
15:14So let me ask
15:15that question
15:16as a political analyst
15:17to you.
15:17Has his position
15:19become untenable?
15:23I think, you know,
15:25the benefit of doubt
15:26must go to the CEC
15:29at this stage
15:30till he does not
15:30come out
15:31and at least
15:31say something
15:32because the other
15:33side of the story
15:34is completely absent.
15:36You know,
15:37his position
15:38will become
15:39further untenable
15:39if even for like
15:41the next 10 days,
15:4315 days,
15:44he just does not
15:44step out
15:44and clarify the air.
15:46Do you think
15:47he should?
15:47Do you think he should?
15:47If that's the situation.
15:48Rajat, he should?
15:49A press release
15:50is not good enough?
15:51There is no doubt
15:51about it.
15:52Who absolutely
15:53needs to come in
15:53not just alone
15:54but the entire
15:55election commission
15:56should come in
15:56and at least
15:57put forth
15:58that all the
15:59decisions
15:59that have been
16:00called
16:01as that there
16:02was no consensus
16:03or perhaps
16:03there was no majority
16:04should bring in
16:05all the fight
16:06and say that
16:06yes,
16:07there was consensus
16:08or there was majority
16:09and therefore
16:10all these orders
16:12had the sanctity
16:13and the approval
16:14of the full
16:15election commission
16:16by way of majority
16:17or unanimity
16:18does him matter
16:18but that has to
16:20happen in
16:21life rest
16:22before everybody
16:23before the people
16:24of this country.
16:24They cannot be
16:25running away
16:26therefore till the time
16:27the other side
16:28of the story
16:29doesn't come in
16:30I'm of the view
16:31that immediately
16:32asking for his
16:33resignation
16:33is against
16:34natural justice.
16:35He should be
16:36given time
16:37to present
16:38his perspective
16:39and if the
16:40allegations
16:40that have been
16:40put forth
16:41by the Indian
16:42Express report
16:43if it turns out
16:44to be true
16:45then yes,
16:45the follow-on
16:46actions
16:46could be
16:47dismissal
16:48or resignation
16:49on his own.
16:50But again,
16:51whether it is a
16:51storm or not
16:52needs to be seen
16:53after we hear
16:53the other side
16:54of the story.
16:55Okay,
16:55we should know
16:56the other side
16:56of the story.
16:57So let me bring
16:58in Opie Rawat
16:58again.
16:59Opie Rawat,
17:00one question
17:01which has been
17:02there on my mind
17:03for the last
17:0424 hours
17:05ever since
17:06the first report
17:07came of
17:08Indian Express
17:08that why
17:10is it
17:10that the
17:12two
17:13election
17:14commissioners
17:15are approaching
17:16the cabinet
17:17secretary
17:18when their
17:19reporting
17:20is to
17:21the president
17:22of India.
17:23The reason
17:23why it
17:25doesn't fit
17:25the logic
17:26is because
17:27they had
17:29the veto power
17:30with the
17:30sheer fact
17:31that the
17:32two of them
17:32can override
17:35whatever the
17:36decision that is
17:36being taken
17:37by the CEC.
17:38Why is it
17:39that that
17:40power was not
17:41exercised when
17:42the power has
17:42been given to
17:43them?
17:45That is
17:46absolutely correct
17:47and that
17:48brings in a
17:50cloud of the
17:51whole matter.
17:53When two
17:53ECs were on
17:55one side
17:55thinking in
17:58similar way
17:59why did they
18:00not refuse
18:02to accept
18:05third person's
18:06dictator,
18:07why did
18:08they not
18:08ask that
18:10whatever
18:10majority view
18:11is that should
18:12be recorded
18:12as the
18:13decision of
18:13the election
18:13commission
18:14and
18:16pursuant action
18:16should be
18:17taken according
18:17to that.
18:18And going to
18:19cabinet secretary
18:20is giving a
18:21wrong signal
18:21that they are
18:22still under the
18:23government.
18:23No,
18:24they are
18:24directly
18:25functioning under
18:26the president
18:27of India.
18:28And therefore,
18:29if at all
18:29they had to
18:31ask for any
18:32redressal of
18:32revanche,
18:33they should go
18:34to president
18:34of India.
18:36Okay,
18:37do you then
18:39say,
18:39do you then
18:40say,
18:41Mr.
18:41Rawat,
18:42that after
18:44the express
18:45report,
18:46the concerns
18:47of the
18:47opposition with
18:48regards to
18:49the electoral
18:50exercise,
18:51with regards to
18:51the elections
18:52that they have
18:53been saying,
18:54is actually
18:55a valid one.
18:56That here is
18:57an institution
18:58which has
18:59centralized power
19:01to the
19:01CEC,
19:02while the
19:03other two
19:03commissioners
19:04have been
19:04raising concerns,
19:05but their
19:06concerns are not
19:06being addressed.
19:08So,
19:10other two
19:11commissioners,
19:12non-initiative,
19:14taking the
19:16bull by the
19:16horns,
19:17when they have
19:17powers,
19:18when majority
19:19is on their
19:20side,
19:21why should it
19:21be taken
19:22against the
19:23dysfunctioning
19:23of election
19:25commission?
19:26That is not
19:27correct.
19:27because if
19:28they had
19:29asserted
19:30that they
19:30have the
19:31power,
19:31majority is
19:32on their
19:32side,
19:33it should
19:33be recorded
19:34according to
19:35this and
19:35personal action
19:36should be
19:36taken according
19:37to their
19:37decision.
19:39Why should
19:39it be
19:40interpreted
19:40as against
19:43the CEC?
19:46Okay,
19:47that's a valid
19:47argument here.
19:48Dr. Nishant,
19:49respond to
19:50that.
19:54Everybody
19:54on the
19:54panel to
19:55remember,
19:55after winning
19:56Bihar elections,
20:04Modi ji was
20:06wearing a
20:07gum cha.
20:08Can you
20:09hear me now?
20:10Yes, there is
20:10a network issue
20:11at your end.
20:11Please go
20:12ahead.
20:14Okay, so I
20:15want to remind
20:15all the viewers,
20:16after winning
20:17the Bihar elections,
20:18Modi ji was
20:19wearing a
20:20gum cha that
20:20was not
20:21given by the
20:22people or
20:22the mandate
20:24of Bihar,
20:24that was
20:25given by the
20:26election commissioner
20:26Gyanesh Kumar.
20:27See,
20:28section 16
20:29of the
20:292023 act
20:31shields the
20:31SEC and the
20:32election commissioners
20:33from any civil
20:34or criminal
20:35proceedings over
20:36official acts
20:36for life.
20:37Why?
20:37It wasn't in
20:38the bill as
20:39introduced.
20:40The government
20:41added in the
20:42amendment in
20:42December 2023,
20:44while 141
20:46opposition MPs
20:47sat suspended
20:48and asking,
20:49after twice asking
20:50to bypass the
20:51mandate, the
20:52government did
20:52not do it.
20:53See, if we
20:53talk about
20:53Haryana, 27
20:55lakh epic
20:56numbers have
20:56been given by
20:57the Congress
20:57Party, but
20:58there was a
20:58difference of
20:5927,000 votes.
21:00If we talk
21:01about Maharashtra,
21:02within six
21:02months after the
21:03Lok Sabha and
21:04the assembly
21:04elections, 49
21:05lakh voters were
21:06deleted and
21:08lakhs of voters
21:09were added.
21:09There is no
21:10answer for it.
21:11You know,
21:11Nishant, as a
21:13journalist who has
21:14covered all these
21:15elections, as a
21:17journalist who
21:17covered the
21:18Bihar elections,
21:19and I come from
21:19this state, what
21:23changed the
21:24election was
21:24completely different
21:25and the fact is
21:27that the India
21:28Bloc or Mahagat
21:28Bandhan was not
21:29even seen to be
21:30fighting the
21:30election.
21:31That is the
21:31truth.
21:32And what
21:33changed the
21:34election was
21:34the 10,000 rupees
21:35which was given
21:38to the women of
21:38Bihar.
21:39That was the
21:40turning point of
21:40the election.
21:41So to say that
21:42there was vote
21:42chori, it was
21:44an election which
21:45was held in two
21:46phases, not even
21:47a single person
21:48you could find.
21:49No, no, no.
21:50I will not take
21:51this in the
21:52context of Bihar
21:53at least.
21:53You can talk
21:54about other
21:54states, but not
21:55in the context
21:56of Bihar.
21:56Two phases, the
21:58election was held
21:58in two phases, not
22:00one in one phase
22:01did the opposition
22:02find any single
22:03person who was
22:04denied the right
22:05to vote.
22:06Okay, let me
22:07answer you.
22:08Yes.
22:09From vote chori
22:10comes kanun chori
22:11and from kanun
22:12chori come
22:13sanstha chori.
22:14This is the
22:14point we are
22:14making.
22:15We are not
22:15talking about
22:15winning and
22:16losing.
22:16We are talking
22:17about the
22:17vote theft, then
22:18the law theft
22:19and the theft
22:19of institutions
22:20themselves.
22:21What happened
22:22to each of the
22:2214 recorded
22:23objections, the
22:24legal basis of
22:25the forms exchange
22:26who authorized
22:27the Goa
22:28deletions, what
22:29the cabinet
22:29secretary letters
22:30actually say?
22:31A day on the
22:32commission hasn't
22:33answered a single
22:34one individually.
22:35We have no
22:36answer.
22:3797 named voters
22:38cleared by their
22:39own election
22:40registration officer
22:41deleted.
22:42That functioning
22:45of the IT
22:47is a valid
22:49question.
22:50That's a valid
22:51question.
22:52We have been
22:52asking the
22:53opposition.
22:53Yes, that is
22:54the valid
22:54question here.
22:55Siddharth Yadam,
22:56would you take
22:57that question?
22:58You know, how
22:59did centralized
23:01functioning of
23:02the entire
23:04database happen?
23:07Maria, first
23:08of all, I find
23:09it very
23:09fascinating and
23:10whatever specific
23:11questions are
23:11asked from the
23:12Congress party,
23:12they would
23:13jump to
23:14Gamcha or
23:15they would
23:15jump to
23:16Sanstha Chori.
23:17I don't know
23:18what.
23:18You want to
23:19blame Bihar?
23:20You have been
23:20out of power
23:21from Bihar from
23:221990.
23:22Talk about
23:22jumping.
23:23What reasons
23:25would you give
23:25from 1990
23:26until today?
23:28From 1990, the
23:29people of Bihar
23:30have not elected
23:30you.
23:30From 1967, the
23:32people of
23:32Tamil Nadu have
23:33not elected
23:34you.
23:34From 1990, the
23:35people of
23:36Bengal have
23:36not elected
23:36you.
23:37But leave
23:37that apart.
23:38You know, it's
23:39a very serious
23:39debate because
23:40the question is
23:40on the
23:41integrity of
23:41our democratic
23:43institution and
23:43how elections
23:44are conducted.
23:45Now, Maria,
23:46answering the
23:46specific question.
23:48Now, obviously,
23:49the technical
23:49details have to
23:50come from the
23:51election commission
23:52itself.
23:52But what they
23:53have spoken on
23:53the issue is
23:54whenever the
23:55data now which
23:56is being collected
23:57and being stored
23:58digitally in an
23:59app, it is
24:00covered under
24:01the DPDP Act.
24:02If the
24:02Congress Party
24:03suggests, now
24:04they wish to
24:05suggest that, you
24:06know, the
24:06powers have been
24:06taken from the
24:07local officers.
24:08That's not the
24:08case.
24:09That has not
24:10been the case.
24:10The power of
24:11adding or
24:12deleting voters
24:13is with the
24:14EROs, is with
24:15the SDMs, is
24:15with the local
24:16BLO, BLAs.
24:17But the
24:18database is being
24:20maintained centrally
24:20because the
24:21sanctity of the
24:22data has to be
24:23protected.
24:23Now, the
24:24Congress Party
24:24suggests that
24:25all states, all
24:27wards, all
24:29BLOs, all
24:30EROs should
24:31come up with
24:31their own
24:31apps, where
24:33they should
24:33store the
24:33data, and
24:34that app should
24:35particularly be
24:36with them, and
24:37that IT setup has
24:38to be that
24:39localized, then I
24:40don't know what
24:41they are suggesting.
24:42In any developed
24:43economy of the
24:44world, electoral
24:45data is saved
24:47centrally.
24:48Saved centrally.
24:50Nowhere you
24:50would see.
24:51Perhaps Ovi
24:52Rawat will be
24:52able to answer
24:53that.
24:53Ovi Rawat,
24:54respond to
24:54that.
24:56I think he's
24:58telling the
24:58truth.
24:59ERO net or
25:00ECI net,
25:01it is basically
25:02to preserve the
25:04sanctity of the
25:05electoral roll
25:06data, so that
25:07it cannot be
25:08tempered with, it
25:09cannot be
25:10hacked, and it
25:11is protected
25:12from cyber
25:13attacks.
25:15EROs, BLOs,
25:17they perform
25:19their duties
25:19provided under
25:21the law,
25:22addition and
25:23deletions.
25:24They would
25:25furnish to the
25:28ECI net, and
25:29it should be
25:32accepted there.
25:34However, there
25:35was some
25:35glitch.
25:37Sometimes, ECI
25:38net doesn't
25:38work or something
25:39like that happens.
25:41It has not been
25:41made very clear
25:42that for how
25:44many days or
25:46how many weeks
25:47they could not
25:49enter the data
25:50in the ECI
25:51net.
25:51all those
25:52facts are
25:54missing.
25:55A lot of
25:56unanswered
25:57questions valid
25:57here.
25:58Rajat Sethi,
25:5930 seconds.
26:00Here is the
26:00Okrot Janata
26:01party which
26:02has said that
26:03if Mr.
26:04Gyanesh Kumar
26:04doesn't resign in
26:05the next 48
26:06hours, then
26:07they are
26:08launching a
26:09nationwide
26:09agitation.
26:10Do you
26:11think this
26:12is going to
26:13be something
26:14that will
26:15make his
26:15position very
26:16difficult?
26:19No, no.
26:20Again, I don't
26:21have to give
26:22too much
26:22credence.
26:24It's one
26:24thing to go
26:25out and do
26:25an outrage.
26:26You can be
26:27in the business
26:28of outrage
26:28ad nauseum.
26:30Doing
26:31something, fixing
26:32something is
26:32another thing.
26:33They can
26:34bark at
26:34every three
26:35as much as
26:36they like.
26:37Let them do
26:38what they want
26:39to do.
26:39If they want
26:40to build
26:40consciousness
26:40around the
26:41sanctity of
26:42ECE, let
26:43them do it.
26:44Ultimately, it
26:45is an
26:45institution and
26:46the legitimacy
26:46of this
26:47institution which
26:47has to be
26:48protected by
26:48the people
26:49who are
26:49occupying the
26:50important chairs.
26:51Not by
26:51people on the
26:52streets.
26:53People on the
26:53streets can
26:54do the drama.
26:55There is very
26:55little accountability
26:56that is out
26:57there on the
26:57streets.
26:58The real
26:58accountability is
26:59on that chair.
27:00Therefore, the
27:01chair has to
27:01rise up and
27:02answer these
27:03questions.
27:06I agree.
27:07If the
27:08CEC and
27:08the two
27:09election
27:09commissioners
27:10can address
27:11the press
27:11every time
27:12they announce
27:13the election
27:13dates, then
27:14it is high
27:14time that
27:15they address
27:15the press
27:16now and
27:17answer all
27:18the questions
27:18that are
27:19being raised
27:19with regards
27:20to the
27:20functioning of
27:21the institution.
27:22Siddharthi
27:23Adav, OP
27:23Rawat, Dr.
27:24Nishant Anand
27:25and Rajat Sethi
27:26really appreciate
27:26your time.
27:27Thank you for
27:27joining us and
27:28sharing your
27:29views.
27:29Of course, this
27:30is a developing
27:31story, several
27:32chapters yet to
27:33unfold.
27:34That's all from
27:34me.
27:35Thanks so much
27:35for watching.
27:35You