ECI didn't follow rules: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sawant

NAGPUR: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant on Tuesday said that chief minister Eknath Shinde camp's dream of taking over Matoshree would never be fulfilled.
Speaking to the media after his arrival in the city for 'Shiv Garjana Abhiyan', an initiative launched to revive the party's sagging fortunes in Vidarbha, Sawant flayed the Election Commission of India (ECI) of flouting the Constitution by listening to diktats of the Centre.
"Just like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Income Tax, and Enforcement Directorate (ED) offices, even the ECI is now on sale. All these bodies are allegedly acting on the behest of the government. Even the retired judges are immediately appointed to the Rajya Sabha or ECI by the government," Sawant said.
Accusing Shinde of allegedly committing a treason, Sawant said that after amendment in the Anti-Defection Law, all defections - whether individual or collective - became unconstitutional after 2003. "Shinde and other legislators had left the party voluntarily. Moreover, they left the party in groups and not collectively. Therefore, as per the law, they cannot constitute their independent group. They must merge with another party as per the Scheduled 10 of the law," Sawant said.
Sawant was accompanied by a delegation that included leaders Laxman Wadle and Amol Kirtikar and Yuva Sena member Pawan Jadhav.