EC move to regulate election-time promises ‘unwarranted’, says Left

| | New Delhi
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EC move to regulate election-time promises ‘unwarranted’, says Left

Thursday, 06 October 2022 | Pioneer News Service | New Delhi

The majority of the Opposition parties seemed to oppose the Election Commission’s proposal suggesting that they should disclose their plans to finance electoral promises and how this would impact the financial situation of the Governments.

While the AAP, the RJD, the DMK, and Shiv Sena have already criticised such attempts to curb freebies, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau on Wednesday slammed the poll panel’s move.

Coming down heavily on the poll panel, the Left major party asked why the Election Commission all of a sudden changed its stand after telling the Supreme Court that it didn’t want to say anything in the case. In a statement, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau said this is not the job of the Election Commission, and this is an area that is solely the prerogative of political parties in a democracy.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also criticised the Election Commission saying this new move has been made under  pressure from the Central Government.

“The Election Commission, in an affidavit to the Supreme Court in April, stated that the commission cannot regulate policy decisions of political parties and that it would be an overreach. It is surprising that the panel has now taken a contrary stand. Is this due to pressure from the executive? The Constitution mandates the EC to conduct free & fair elections. It is not the Election Commission’s job to regulate policy pronouncements and welfare measures that political parties promised to the people. This is solely the prerogative of political parties in a democracy. We strongly oppose any effort to circumscribe or regulate the right of political parties to address people’s concerns and offer policy measures to ameliorate their problems.

“EC’s proposal is an unwarranted move,” said Yechruy.

The CPI(M) Polit Bureau said the commission cannot regulate policy decisions of political parties and that it would be an overreach of powers. It is surprising that the Election Commission has now taken a contrary stand.

Blaming the EC for coming under the pressure of BJP lead Central Government, the CPI(M) said any effort to circumscribe or regulate the right of political parties to address people’s concerns and offer policy measures to ameliorate their problem will be opposed.

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