Jammu, 27 September (H.S.): Amid the Congress's nationwide campaign demanding the immediate resignation and arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Jammu and Kashmir BJP on Sunday sought a public apology from the party leader Rahul Gandhi over baseless allegations against the constitutional institution.

Defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Sat Sharma said it is the responsibility of the commission to ensure that only eligible voters participate in elections and that no citizen would want ineligible voters to cast ballots.

Addressing a press conference at party headquarters here, Sharma said the Congress had repeatedly questioned the independence of constitutional institutions, particularly the Election Commission (EC), and had alleged that the poll body was acting under the influence of the BJP-led government.

The Congress campaign against the EC came in the wake of The Indian Express report that two of the three commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, repeatedly raised questions on issues related to the SIR of electoral rolls.

The national rollout of SIR has been under the supervision of all three commissioners. But Sandhu and Joshi have formally objected, on record, at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions taken and orders issued, they say, without their knowledge, according to the report in the English daily.

Sharma said the reports about alleged differences within the EC were baseless and pointed to a recent joint statement by the three Commissioners which, according to him, demonstrated that they were working collectively on matters relating to SIR and its schedule.

Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party should publicly apologise to the country and to the people, Sharma said, adding that the people of the country would not tolerate baseless lies.

Sharma also criticised what he described as a longstanding Congress approach towards constitutional institutions.

Referring to the Emergency and subsequent political controversies, he alleged that the Congress had historically attempted to undermine independent institutions.

He also referred to questions raised by the party leaders about the Indian Army and military operations, including the surgical strikes, as well as criticism concerning the Supreme Court and its judges.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar