New Delhi, 10 December (H.S.): Senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP from Patna Sahib, Ravi Shankar Prasad, on Wednesday accused the Congress of blaming the Election Commission out of frustration following its defeat in the recent state assembly elections.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha for the second consecutive day during the debate on electoral reforms, Prasad said that the Congress’s allegations were baseless and politically motivated. Extending support to the Summary Intensive Revision (SIR) process, he stated that the Election Commission has full constitutional authority to rectify and update the voter list.

Prasad strongly objected to the remarks made by Congress MP K.C. Venugopal in the House, pointing out that, being a respondent in the matter, Venugopal had no right to present his side in Parliament. He demanded that Venugopal’s statements be expunged from the official records, to which the presiding officer responded that his objection was under consideration.

The BJP leader further said that Congress and other opposition parties praise the electoral process when they win but question the Election Commission and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) whenever they lose. Defending recent electoral reforms, Prasad noted that including the Chief Justice of India in the selection panel of Election Commissioners was only a temporary arrangement, which the government has now replaced through proper legislation.

Recalling past precedents, he cited how during the Congress era, appointments to the Election Commission were often politically influenced. He mentioned the example of former Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, alleging that Chawla had targeted RSS workers during the Emergency yet was later promoted despite objections by then CEC Quraishi.

Highlighting the credibility of EVMs, Prasad said that more than two dozen Supreme Court judgments have upheld the voting machines’ reliability. “During the era of ballot papers, booth capturing was rampant. The attempts to return to that system raise serious concerns,” he remarked.

Defending the SIR process in Bihar, he clarified that no Booth Level Officer (BLO) had died during the exercise. He also supported the system of electoral bonds, asserting that anonymous donations have long been a part of India’s political culture. “In terms of funding,” he added, “parties receive support in proportion to their credibility and track record.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar