ECI Faces Allegations of Lacking Transparency and Trustworthiness

Rapid Summary

• Openness activist Anjali Bhardwaj criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI), stating that it has been partial and non-obvious in its functioning, which poses challenges too electoral democracy.
• She highlighted issues from the last seven to eight years, including selective action on Model Code violations during elections, deletion of 65 lakh voters in Bihar, and lack of transparency regarding voter turnout and alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls.
• Ms. Bhardwaj referenced the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on changes to Election Commissioner appointments and expressed concerns over increased governmental influence on ECI credibility.
• The remarks were made during a memorial lecture event at Osmania University commemorating Telangana ideologue Professor Jayashankar and senior journalist Zaheeruddin Ali Khan.
• NALSAR Vice-Chancellor Srikrishna Deva Rao spoke at the same event about transformative constitutionalism as a framework for a democratic society rooted in inclusion, diversity, and constitutional morality.

Indian Opinion analysis
The critical observations by Anjali Bhardwaj point towards growing concerns about institutional transparency within India’s electoral system-a significant aspect of maintaining public trust in democracy. Her claims about selective enforcement of election guidelines by the ECI raise questions around fairness but also stress the need for stringent safeguards against perceived misuse or biases.Allegations concerning substantial deletions from electoral rolls highlight potential administrative inefficiencies or deeper systemic flaws that could impact citizen participation rights.

Furthermore, references to governmental influence following recent changes to appointment processes underscore ongoing debates about safeguarding autonomy in regulatory institutions like ECI. Srikrishna Deva Rao’s emphasis on transformative constitutionalism offers an optimistic framework that relies heavily on foundational values enshrined within India’s Constitution-an essential lens amid increasing challenges confronting democratic structures today.For continued growth as a democracy, India must reconcile critiques with actionable reforms aimed at bolstering institutional integrity while promoting inclusivity across its diverse electorate base.

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