JMM to apex court: Take cognizance of EC’s role

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the state’s ruling coalition partner and a noted regional party, has accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of being biased and taking decisions to “favour a particular political party”.
Addressing the media at the party’s head office here on Saturday, JMM chief spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya urged the Supreme Court to take suo motto cognizance into the case and issue directives to the poll commission to act in accordance with the Constitution.
Referring to the announcement of election dates for Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, Bhattacharya said, “While both the states usually go for their respective assembly elections together, this time, for reasons best known to the commission, the dates for Gujarat elections were not announced along with that of Himachal Pradesh.”
“It appears that the dates for the Himachal Pradesh polls were announced only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Vande Bharat train, dedicated IIIT and laid foundation of several projects in the state,” Bhattacharya said, adding that similar political stunts are pending in Gujarat as well, and therefore, the commission detested from announcing the dates.
The JMM leader also mentioned about the “continuous onslaught on regional parties by the commission at the behest of the BJP”.
“Initially, Ramvilas Paswan-founded Lok Janahakti Party was dismantled and its symbol frozen and now the Maharashtra-based Shiv Sena’s symbol has been frozen,” Bhattacharya, said, calling it “an attack on the democratic fabric of the nation by the commission”.
The JMM leader slammed the ECI, naming it as the Election Choice of Individual.