Chief Ministers of BJP States Back CEC Gyanesh Kumar Amid Opposition Row
· India · Hindustan Times, Deccan Herald, deccanherald
Chief ministers of all Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states came out in support of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday in a coordinated defense against opposition criticism. The opposition has accused Kumar of partisanship and operating to help the BJP retain power. The friction stems from the implementation of the Special Intensive Review, which resulted in the deletion of nearly 13 crore voters across the country. The Election Commission invoked its residual powers under Article 324 of the Constitution to conduct the nationwide review. Legal scrutiny points out that Section 21 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, provides for special revisions only for specific constituencies or parts thereof rather than entire states or the nation.
Why it matters
The public backing of the Chief Election Commissioner by ruling party chief ministers blurs the line between an independent constitutional body and the political executive, escalating tensions over electoral roll revisions.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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