[Marxistindia] Kerala RS Election: Meeting with ECI

[news from the cpi(m)]

March 26, 2021


Press Release


Polit Bureau Member, Nilotpal Basu, Meets Election Commission on  
holding in Abeyance Elections to Three RS Seats from Kerala.


Nilotpal Basu, member of the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) met members of  
the Election Commission, except for the CEC, Shri Sunil Arora, who was  
not in town.

On behalf of the Party, issues were pointedly raised in the letter  
released yesterday. The members of the Commission tried to explain  
that the decision of the Commission as stated in their press note of  
March 24, should not be construed as putting the entire process in  
abeyance but was limited to clarifying the reference by the government.

In response, it was pointed out that, in that case, it is a bilateral  
matter between the government and the Commission. However, the press  
note gives a distinct impression that the independence of the Election  
Commission has been compromised and the government’s reference and the  
ECI taking cognisance of this casts doubts on the continuation of the  
election process which was set in motion through ECI’s notification of  
March 17.

Basu also pointed out that in case the Commission has not put the  
entire process in abeyance it should specifically clarify this  
position publicly and also disclose the details of the reference by  
the government. The Commission assured to consider the matter carefully.



For CPI(M) Central Committee Office