Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Oct 21: AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday demanded the repeal of the 2023 law granting immunity to election commissioners, accusing the Narendra Modi government of undermining the EC’s independence and seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and a return to ballot papers.
Speaking to reporters, Kharge asked, “Are you above the Constitution?” and alleged that the government was shielding election commissioners from accountability.
“Repeal the law you brought in to grant them immunity,” he said, referring to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which provides protection against civil and criminal proceedings for acts done or words spoken by election commissioners in the discharge of their official duties, subject to the provisions of the Act.
Kharge alleged that software-driven instructions from a central location were being used to direct Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to alter electoral rolls.
“If elections are conducted impartially and fairly, let anyone win. The Constitution does not say that only the Congress must win or that any particular party must win,” he said.
He asserted that the Opposition was fighting to protect democracy and safeguard the integrity of institutions, rather than for any individual or party.
Kharge accused PM Modi of not responding directly to letters from Opposition leaders and instead getting others to reply.
Referring to Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju’s response to his letter to Modi, Kharge said such replies would not resolve the issues raised unless the prime minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah took decisions on them.
“If you have made up your mind to act arbitrarily, the people of this country will not remain silent. They will remove you from power,” he said.
Kharge warned that the government would face public backlash if it failed to correct what he described as its mistakes.
On women’s reservation, Kharge said the government could implement the 33 per cent quota using the existing strength of the House and the current constitutional framework.
He accused Modi of misleading people by portraying the Opposition as being against women’s reservation.
“If we were opposed to it, would we have passed the law in the first place?” he asked, describing the government’s approach as an attempt to malign the Opposition.
