Will Not Hold Polls According To ‘Whims And Fancies’ Of Congress, Its Leader: Election Commission Tells SC

Slamming the Congress in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that the party’s petition on alleged irregularities in the voters' lists is “misconceived and malafide”.

The poll panel, which was filing its response to the petition, said it will not conduct elections on the “personal whims and fancies” of the Congress of its leaders. The ECI also warned it against interference in the working of the “constitutional authority” and trying to dictate terms to it. Calling the petition “a gross abuse of the process of law”, it demanded that the Supreme Court dismiss it.

“No valid and tenable grounds have been shown by the petitioner, Kamal Nath, to justify the grant of the interim relief (as prayed for) in his favour. Thus, the said petition sought to be dismissed outright,” the ECI’s affidavit read.

The ECI has called party’s claims about irregularities in the voters' lists in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan “false and misleading".

The poll panel has dismissed Congress’ proposal to use Electronic Voting Machines with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail in 10 per cent of the booths.

This development comes after the apex court had asked the ECI to file its response on the petition filed by Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Sachin Pilot alleging duplication of voters in the lists in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.