New Delhi, Dec 10 (NationPress) Shiv Sena(UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday vehemently criticized the process of appointing Election Commissioners, asserting that the current framework provides no genuine opportunity for independent decision-making by the Leader of Opposition. This, she claims, leads to a scenario of “no balance of power” in the selection committee.

During a Lok Sabha debate on the Sample Verification of Electoral Rolls (SIR) initiative, Chaturvedi highlighted the structure of the high-level committee responsible for appointing members to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

“If you analyze the appointment process of the Election Commission, it involves four key individuals: the Leader of Opposition, a Cabinet Minister, the Prime Minister, and the Chief Justice of India. The Chief Justice of India was excluded from the equation...,” she stated.

Chaturvedi emphasized that the existing legislation guarantees the Leader of Opposition is consistently outvoted: “The LOP will always be in the minority. Even if they oppose the appointment of an Election Commissioner, they will be overruled by two representatives from the ruling side. It is crucial for the public to understand who is being appointed… The government holds all the power in this regard. There is no balance of power.”

Her comments surfaced as the Lok Sabha commenced an in-depth discussion regarding the SIR process being executed by the Election Commission across 12 states and union territories—an endeavor that has faced significant critique from the opposition, which has persistently raised questions regarding its legal foundation and transparency.

Earlier in the day, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that the Home Minister would address the House at 5 p.m. regarding the ongoing SIR efforts.

Congress MP Manish Tewari raised alarms on Tuesday concerning the deployment of public resources prior to elections, cautioning that tactics such as targeted cash transfers could distort democratic outcomes. “Elections cannot be won at the expense of the national or state exchequer. This threatens to bankrupt our democracy and our nation,” he warned.

Tewari contended that the ECI lacks the “legal basis to conduct SIR” and called for enhanced transparency, including the provision of machine-readable voter lists to political entities. He also put forth three demands: revising the law governing the selection of Election Commissioners to include the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha within the selection panel, plus imposing a blanket prohibition on direct cash transfers before elections, labeling such actions as “against democracy.”

The debate surrounding SIR is poised to escalate as the government and opposition persist in their confrontations regarding electoral integrity, institutional independence, and accountability.