NEW DELHI: Reacting to the developments in the Election Commission, Congress on Saturday slams Modi government over election commissioner Ashok Lavasa recusing himself from meetings related to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the “erosion of institutional integrity” was the “hallmark” of the Modi government.
“Election Commission or Election Omission. Another Dark Day for Democracy. Sh Ashok Lavasa, Member of EC, who dissented on multiple occasions when EC was busy giving clean chits to Modi-Shah duo, opts out of EC as the ECI even refuse to record dissent notes,” Surjewala tweeted, tagging the media report.
“Erosion of institutional integrity is the hallmark of Modi govt. SC judges going public, RBI Guv’s resigning, CBI Director getting removed, CVC giving various reports, Now Dividing Election Commission! Will EC save the embarrassment by recording Sh Lavasa’s dissent notes?”, Surjewala said in another tweet.
Erosion of Institutional Integrity is the hallmark of Modi Govt!
SC Judges going public,
RBI Guv’s resigning
CBI Director getting removed
CVC giving vacuous reports
Now Dividing Election Commission!Will EC save the embarrassment by recording Sh Lavasa’s dissent notes? 2/2 pic.twitter.com/gQxtFtCRPe
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 18, 2019
Election Commission
OR
Election Omission!Another Dark Day for Democracy!
Sh Ashok Lavasa, Member CEC, who dissented on multiple occasions when EC was busy giving clean chits to Modi-Shah duo, opts out of EC as the ECI even refuse to record dissent notes.
1/2 pic.twitter.com/ajbSwBCUxl— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 18, 2019
He said the Election Commission was working at Modi’s behest. Lavasa’s letter makes it clear that CEC was not even ready to record the difference of opinion of Lavasa regarding Modi and Shah, he said.
Party veteran P. Chidambaram said in a series of tweets: “EC Ashok Lavasa complained that his dissent was not being recorded and hence decided to stay away from meetings of the commission. The CEC has replied that silence is eloquent. I am still trying to find the connection between the complaint and the answer!”
Mr Ashok Lavasa, EC, complained that his 'dissent' was not being recorded and hence decided to stay away from meetings of the Commission.
The CEC has replied that silence is eloquent. I am still trying to find the connection between the complaint and the answer!
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 18, 2019
Chidambaram added:
CEC tells the people that some matters are best kept 'internal'.
Is he saying that the people — the voters — should not know or be concerned about the manner in which the Commission is conducting its business?
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 18, 2019
Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has reportedly decided to stay away from the meetings related to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) due to his dissent on the clean chit given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, sources said.
Lavasa, in his letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, insisted that he would attend the meetings if his minority decisions were also included in the orders of the Commission.
Sources said that Lavasa has expressed his dissent on clean chit to four speeches of PM Modi and one speech of Amit Shah.
With agency inputs