Proposed Bill ploy to rig 2024 LS poll: TMC

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress has hit out at the BJP, alleging that the latter has already started rigging the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by trampling upon a Supreme Court judgment to make the Election Commission of India (ECI) its stooge.

The Union government introduced a Bill on Thursday proposing that Election Commissioners will be selected by a panel led by the Prime Minister, with the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet minister as members.

TMC leader Sushmita Dev took to her social media handle and wrote: “PM will appoint a Union Cabinet Minister to replace CJI as a member of the selection committee to recommend a Chief Election Commissioner. LOP will be a member but is bound to be outnumbered. This is yet another way to control an institution which must be independent.” Trinamool Rajya Sabha member and national spokesperson Saket Gokhale wrote: “Shocking: BJP is RIGGING the 2024 elections openly. Modi Govt has again brazenly trampled upon an SC judgment & is making the Election Commission its own bunch of stooges.”

He further wrote: “In a Bill being tabled in Rajya Sabha today, the Chief Justice of India has been replaced by a Union Minister on the Selection Committee to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner & 2 ECs. SC in its judgment had clearly noted that the committee should be Chief Justice of India, PM, Leader of Opposition, In the Bill, the Modi Govt has replaced CJI with “a Union Minister”.

He further added: “Basically, now, Modi & 1 Minister will appoint the entire Election Commission. This is a clear step towards rigging the 2024 elections after fear has been struck into BJP’s heart by the united INDIA alliance.”