Election Commission gives in to BJP demand

After facing enormous criticisms for blocking Narendra Modi’s single rally at Benia Bagh, the Election Commission has finally admitted that there were ‘lapses’ in handling crisis in Varanasi constituency.

Describing the incident ‘unfortunate’, the Election Commissioner H.S. Brahma said that although the Returning Officer in Varanasi was entitled to take a decision under the law but he should have communicate with BJP so that the situation “should not have escalated”.  

Election Commission on Friday gave in to BJP’s demand against the returning officer and appointed Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Kumar as a special observer for Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.

EC is finding difficulties to explain why BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi’s single rally was banned but allowing Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi’s road shows at the same venue. At first chief election commissioner VS Sampath was trying to defend the returning officer Pranjal Yadav’s decision in which he cited ‘security reason’ behind the rally suspension, but later Brahma’s public criticism of EC’s handling the situation made Sampath to announce appointment of a special observer on top of the returning officer for conducting a free and fare elections.

Meanwhile EC has ruled out any leadership crisis within it and claimed there is no split in the commission.

“The commission would like to reaffirm that there is complete coordination among the commissioners and all decisions are taken after due deliberation and in unanimity,” EC statement said.

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