‘Rahul Gandhi can keep demanding…ECI responsible for cleaning electoral rolls’: Athawale on SIR row

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Union Minister of State and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale on Thursday hit back at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders for demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

While maintaining that making demands is their constitutional right, he asserted that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for “clearing the electoral rolls”.

This follows a media report that triggered a row by claiming two Election Commissioners had “objected on record” to several decisions taken by the poll panel, allegedly without their knowledge.

The ECI has denied the report.

Speaking to IANS over the controversy, Athawale said: “This is not a question of removing voters from the electoral rolls. Every individual has the right to vote, but deceased persons should not remain on the voter list. Many times, people die, but their names continue to remain on the electoral rolls, while the names of eligible people who are alive are sometimes missing. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to make the electoral roll clear and transparent.”

“Sometimes it so happens that 40-50 people from a 10×20 feet house are named in the electoral list. So, the Commission will have to probe such incidents,” he added.

Condemning Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks that the ECI is operating on behalf of the ruling party to “manipulate” voter outcomes, the Union Minister said: “The reality is people vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA due to the development and welfare schemes undertaken in the last 12 years.”

Regarding demands for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, Athawale stated: “Everyone has the right to make demands. In a democracy, everyone has the right to take a stand. The government will probe any shortcomings on the part of Gyanesh Kumar, including his stance…the government is definitely probing why people are upset (with the Election Commission). Accordingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government will decide what to do next.”

“Rahul Gandhi has the right to demand, let him keep demanding, and we will continue to run the government,” he asserted.

Further, the Union Minister lashed out at former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s criticism of the CEC, saying: “Mamata Banerjee speaks against the Constitution. When she was the Chief Minister, she would try to stop the ED and CBI officials during their probe in the state.”

–IANS

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