Congress Appeals to SC Against Amendments to Election Conduct Rules
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New Delhi, Dec 24 (NationPress) The Congress has approached the Supreme Court, contesting the recent changes made to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, which impose restrictions on public access to election-related materials, including CCTV footage, unless these are specifically mentioned by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In a statement on the social media platform ‘X’, senior Congress leader and General Secretary Jairam Ramesh expressed on Tuesday that the Election Commission must not be permitted to unilaterally modify the 1961 Conduct of Election Rules in such a flagrant manner and without engaging the public.
“A writ petition has just been submitted to the Supreme Court contesting the recent changes to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. The Election Commission, a constitutional entity responsible for ensuring free and fair elections, should not be allowed to amend such a critical law without public consultation,” Ramesh declared.
The Rajya Sabha MP further pointed out that the amendment, which was introduced on Saturday following recommendations from the ECI, eliminates “public access to crucial information that enhances the transparency and accountability of the electoral process.”
“The integrity of our electoral process is diminishing rapidly. We hope the Supreme Court will assist in restoring it,” he asserted.
The amendment was reportedly in response to a directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to release CCTV footage from an election booth.
Previously, on Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin vehemently condemned the amendment, labeling it an undemocratic attack on free and fair elections.
In a post on X, Stalin stated that democracy is currently facing its most serious threat under the BJP-led Union Government. He voiced his concerns, saying: “Democracy is facing its most serious threat under the BJP-led Union Government, with the reckless amendment of Section 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules, aimed at undermining transparency in elections.”
Stalin emphasized that this action compromises one of the fundamental principles of the Constitution—transparency. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister urged all political parties, including those allied with the Union Government, to unite against what he described as an undemocratic assault on free and fair elections.
