EC must do something: Cong complains against Amit Shah, Assam CM

A delegation of senior Congress leaders on Wednesday filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against statements made by Union home minister Amit Shah in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon on 16 October.

Shah had accused the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh of being involved in the lynching of a local youth in the interests of "appeasement and vote bank politics", and said the Baghel government was "working like an ATM of the Congress’ Delhi Darbar", in a reference to the Gandhi family.

"We have raised eight complaints with the chief election commissioner (CEC). The three other election commissioners were also present," senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh told a press conference.

The delegation included Ramesh, senior leader Salman Khurshid, AICC Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre, MP and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Revanth Reddy, MP Uttam Kumar Reddy and MLA and CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka.

The Congress leaders filed a memorandum with the ECI saying statements and claims made by the home minister were blatant and deliberate acts in violation of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People Act, 1951.

“Election Commission must do something to stop muddying of elections by political parties. We hope that the Election Commission will intervene to ensure free and fair elections in the country,” Salman Khurshid said.

Led by Ramesh, the delegation met the CEC and presented detailed complaints and memoranda in relation to the upcoming state elections in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh.

They also raised a complaint against Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s election speech in Chhattisgarh's Kawardha on 18 October.

In the memorandum, the Congress leaders said Shah's statements and claims highlight a clear intention to incite sections of society against one another.

They also filed complaints stating that the Centre is trying to politicise the conduct of civil servants and army soldiers and violating the model code of conduct (MCC) and the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964.

They also sought the disqualification of Govind Singh Rajput, BJP candidate from Surkhi in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, to stop him contesting the assembly elections.

"Rajput publicly claimed that he would pay Rs 25 lakh to the prabharis of booths where the maximum number of votes were cast for the BJP. An FIR has already been registered against Govind Singh Rajput," they submitted in their complaint to the commission.

Talking about four complaints — in the context of Telangana — Revanth Reddy said the upcoming elections have "probably become the most corrupt" since the BRS government came to power in Telangana.

The delegation has requested the disbursement of benefits under schemes introduced by the Telangana government either before the date of filing nominations on 3 November, or after polling of votes on 30 November.

They also complained against "unlawful" transfers and posting of police officers in Telangana, who have been transferred without completing two-and-a-half years of their tenure as mandated by the ECI. The delegation also pointed to the allotment of election duties to specific officers in Telangana, alleging that they publicly support "a specific political party".