Matter of concern that EC’s credibility is being doubted now: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday lamented that the credibility of the Election Commission of India is now being questioned. In two tweets today, the Kerala Chief Minister said: “It’s a matter of concern that Election Commission, an independent constitutional authority’s credibility is being doubted upon now. What makes people point finger at Institutional mechanisms like Election Commission designed to preserve democracy in the country?”

“Indian democracy is governed by the principle of separation of powers. Election Commission & its decision should remain in No-Doubt Zone,” added Vijayan.

His remarks come in the backdrop of recent comments made by Congress leaders and DMK criticising the poll watchdog for not announcing the Gujarat’s elections schedule. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram had very recently criticised the EC, saying that by not announcing the Gujarat poll schedule, it had “authorised” PM Narendra Modi to declare the dates at his last rally, after all “freebies” for the state were doled out. Also Read: P Chidambaram says EC authorised PM Modi to announce dates, BJP hits back

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram.

He was joined by DMK working president M K Stalin today who said the Election Commission should work with the principle “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion”. The poll watchdog had on October 12 announced that polling for the assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh would take place on November 9, but did not announce it for Gujarat. Also Read: DMK criticises Election Commission for not announcing poll schedule for Gujarat

DMK working president MK Stalin. (Source: Express photo by Anil Sharma)

“Many political leaders have pointed out that the EC has now presented an opportunity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend various events in Gujarat and announce new schemes by delaying the announcement of the poll dates as there would be no model code of conduct,” DMK working president M K Stalin told PTI.