Bengaluru: After the Election Commission of India (ECI) deferred bypolls to 15 Karnataka assembly constituencies, Congress state unit chief Dinesh Gundu Rao on Saturday alleged that the Commission has become an agent of the current regime and accused it of acting in a partisan manner.
“The Election Commission (EC) is acting in an almost partisan manner. Karnataka by-elections have been notified December 5. Now they say Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will apply from Nov 11th. Will this not allow the BJP government to run riot in those 15 constituencies?” he said.
“Doesn’t the MCC come into play as soon as the elections are notified? Then why this 45-day gap for the MCC to come into effect? Isn’t the MCC applied to allow for free and fair elections and to have a level playing field for all parties and candidates?” Rao added.
The Election Commission on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it will defer assembly by-polls in Karnataka till the Supreme Court takes a decision on the plea of 17 disqualified MLAs.
The Congress leader said that the BJP government has announced plans for those 15 constituencies.
“The BJP government in Karnataka has already charted out plans for Chief Minister, ministers and the government to tour these 15 constituencies and announce all kinds of programs and inducements to get the voters on their side. A most unfair election process has been initiated by the Election Commission,” he said.
“The Election has become an agent of the present regime. It has lost its constitutional autonomy. It is taking decisions to benefit the BJP and doing its best to see that the disqualified MLA’s are protected. We have lost complete faith in the Commission’s integrity,” he added.
Rao demanded that the Election Commission should immediately enforce the MCC.