Congress raps ECI stand on data disclosure, asks why its advisory is mum on PM and HM speeches

NEW DELHI: Congress has questioned the very rationale of ECI's counter affidavit, against pleas seeking disclosure of Form 17Cs and alleged that ECI, by doing so, "is falling into the trap of BJP" to "orchestrate the demolition and destruction of the electoral democracy". Congress also dismissed ECI advisory to BJP and Congress presidents - asking them to restrain their respective star campaigners from doing divisive campaign - as "a response of fudging of delightful ambiguities and vagueness of sermonising and avoiding the real issues". The party accused ECI of showing no courage to speak about the complaints about the prime minister's and home minister's campaigns or act against the duo.

Maintaining that "if the stand of ECI" (against disclosure of Forms 17Cs, containing numbers of votes cast at every polling station, the machines deployed with serial numbers and the number of votes polled at every machine) "is not exposed", then "ECI would be guilty of making democracy a sham", Congress' Abhishek Singhvi alleged.

Singhvi argued "ECI does not want the mega picture to come out instantly so that their figures can be challenged. Who wants this? Clearly, the ruling party. Who is falling into the trap of the ruling party? Clearly, ECI. I hope and trust the day will not come when it is called the 'Election Agent of the ruling party'. I hope it will not become an 'eager and compliant institution'."