‘Kuch to log kahenge’: CEC on allegations of poll irregularities

NEW DELHI: “Kuch to log kahenge, logon ka kam hai kehna” (people will say things, it is their job to say such things) -- responded the response of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday when told about allegations of irregularities in the poll process in the recently-concluded Haryana Assembly election.

“Election by election, the participation in the process is increasing, violence is reducing and there are record seizures. Voters are giving a clear indication that they have belief in the electoral process and they are very participative.... Other than that I can only say kuch to log kahenge, logon ka kam hai kehna,” Kumar said at a press conference here.

Talking about the recently-held Jammu and Kashmir election, Kumar repeated a verse that he had used earlier -- “jamuriyat ke jashn me apki shirkat, duniya dekhegi napak iradon ke shikast ki kahani”. Couplets and verses have been a regular feature at Kumar’s press conferences.

“Adhoori hasrato ka ilzam har bar hum par lagana thik nahi, wafa khud se nahi hoti, khata EVM ki kehte ho, aur baad mein jab parinam aata hai toh uspe qayam bhi nahi rehte,” the CEC had said, announcing the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls in March.

What he meant was it is not proper to blame the EC for unfulfilled desires when one has not done his or her job properly. His oblique reference was to the allegations of the Congress of EVM malfunction in about 20 assembly segments in the recently concluded assembly polls in Haryana.