CM Himanta Defends Election Commission, Calls Attacks a Smear Campaign
Synopsis
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on September 24, 2026, defended the Election Commission of India, stating it operates within a constitutional framework and calling attacks on the Chief Election Commissioner a smear campaign — reflecting a wider BJP push to counter opposition criticism of the poll body.
Key Takeaways
Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly defended the Election Commission of India on September 24, 2026 .
He described attacks on the Chief Election Commissioner as a 'smear campaign'.
Sarma cited the Commission's consensus-or-majority decision-making as evidence of its institutional integrity.
The Election Commission was established on 25 January 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution.
The statement follows a recurring pattern of ruling-party leaders defending constitutional bodies during politically charged cycles.
A constitutional body under fire — and a senior BJP leader pushing back hard. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, September 24, 2026, stepped into a charged national debate, defending the Election Commission of India and dismissing attacks on the Chief Election Commissioner as nothing more than a deliberate smear campaign.
What Sarma Said — and Why It Lands Now
The Assam Chief Minister was unambiguous: 'The Election Commission functions within a well defined constitutional framework. All its decisions are taken either by consensus or by majority.' He went further, saying that 'the attacks targeting the Chief Election Commissioner are nothing more than a smear campaign' — framing the criticism not as legitimate institutional scrutiny but as coordinated political assault.
The timing matters. Challenges to the Election Commission's credibility tend to spike around electoral cycles, when opposition parties question the neutrality of its orders and rulings. Sarma's intervention signals that the BJP is not willing to let those narratives go unanswered in the public square.
Article 324 and the Commission's Constitutional Armour
The Election Commission of India was established on 25 January 1950 under Article 324 of the Constitution, which gives it plenary power over the 'superintendence, direction and control' of all elections to Parliament, state legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President. That mandate is deliberately insulated from executive interference — the architecture of independence is baked into the text.
The three-member Commission — headed by the Chief Election Commissioner — operates on a consensus-or-majority model. Sarma's post essentially holds that model up as proof the institution is self-correcting and accountable by design, not hostage to any single official or party preference.
A Pattern of Partisan Defence — and What It Signals
Ruling-party leaders defending the Election Commission when it comes under opposition fire is not a new script in Indian politics. It is, in fact, a recurring feature of every high-stakes electoral season — the party in power invoking constitutional sanctity, the opposition invoking institutional capture. Both sides weaponise the same body for opposite arguments.
What is notable here is the sharpness of Sarma's language. 'Smear campaign' is not diplomatic hedging — it is an accusation of bad faith, designed to delegitimise the critique rather than engage with its substance. As NEDA convenor and one of the BJP's most prominent voices in the Northeast, Sarma carries national political weight when he speaks on governance matters of this kind.
Whether opposition parties file a formal rebuttal, or whether the dispute surfaces in parliamentary proceedings or court petitions, will determine how far this exchange travels beyond the social-media moment.
Point of View
By labelling all criticism a 'smear campaign', the statement forecloses the possibility of acknowledging genuine public debate over electoral governance. The episode underscores how the Election Commission has become a proxy battleground in the wider contest over institutional trust in India.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Himanta Biswa Sarma defending the Election Commission?
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the Election Commission on September 24, 2026, calling attacks on the Chief Election Commissioner a smear campaign and affirming the body's constitutional framework amid what appears to be a political dispute over the poll body's decisions.
How does the Election Commission of India make decisions?
The Election Commission operates through a three-member panel that takes decisions either by consensus or by majority vote, as Sarma highlighted in his post — a process enshrined in established constitutional practice.
What is Article 324 of the Indian Constitution?
Article 324 establishes the Election Commission of India and vests in it the power of superintendence, direction and control over all elections to Parliament, state legislatures and the offices of the President and Vice-President, providing the body with constitutional independence.
What does 'smear campaign' mean in the context of Sarma's post?
Sarma used 'smear campaign' to characterise criticism directed at the Chief Election Commissioner as bad-faith political attacks rather than legitimate institutional scrutiny, signalling the BJP's intent to counter opposition narratives about the poll body's neutrality.
Is it common for ruling-party leaders to defend the Election Commission?
Yes — it is a recurring pattern in Indian politics for the ruling party to defend the Election Commission's independence when opposition parties question its decisions, particularly during high-stakes electoral cycles.
