Shashi Tharoor: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has weighed in on the escalating row surrounding the Election Commission of India (ECI), saying its official statement on reports of internal dissent among commissioners fails to answer several of the specific questions raised.
DON'T MISS
What Triggered The Row
The controversy stems from a report by The Indian Express, which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders issued during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), several taken without their knowledge. Their objections reportedly covered changes to the statutory Form 6, handling of voter list additions and deletions, and centralised control over the electoral roll database.
Tharoor’s Measured But Pointed Response
Tharoor said that given the importance of India’s electoral institutions, the questions raised deserved to be placed on public record and answered transparently. His response was notably calmer than sharper attacks from some opposition colleagues, but no less pointed in questioning whether the Commission’s clarification actually addressed the substance of the dissent. Earlier this year, invoking the adage that “no one should raise suspicion about the behaviour of Caesar’s wife,” Tharoor had similarly stressed the importance of the ECI’s professionalism and integrity.
The Commission’s Position
The ECI has said differing views among commissioners are a normal part of institutional deliberation, and that SIR-related decisions were taken either unanimously or by majority.
Part Of A Wider Opposition Chorus
Shashi Tharoor remarks join a broader wave of criticism, with leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal demanding Kumar’s arrest and resignation. Tharoor’s comparatively restrained call for transparency reflects a different strand within the opposition’s response.
