‘There is no vote theft,’ says Nizamabad MP on ECI fiasco

"The Election Commission of India is a three-member body and officially states that all Election Commissioners have an equal say in decision-making, with decisions taken by majority vote," the MP said.

Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Nizamabad, Dharmapuri Arvind, on Sunday, September 27, claimed that there was no vote theft in India.

Arvind made the claim while reacting to the controversy involving the Election Commission of India (ECI) and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. He alleged that decisions being taken in the country were constitutional and mocked the Gandhi family, claiming that they did not understand such processes.

Addressing the media after inaugurating the state-level Khelo India Road Cycling competitions on the Kanteshwar bypass road in Nizamabad, Arvind said that differences of opinion within the Election Commission were natural. However, he claimed that the final decision was taken by the CEC.

“The ECI, however, is a three-member body and officially states that all Election Commissioners have an equal say in decision-making, with decisions taken by majority vote,” the MP said.

He attacked the Congress and claimed that the party had split because it did not follow democratic procedures and claimed that the Congress had made extensive use of the CEC’s office.

Arvind also claimed that the Congress would not be in a position to win anywhere in the upcoming elections and alleged that people would not vote for Rahul Gandhi, which, according to him, was the reason for the Congress taking its protests to the streets.

The Nizamabad MP accused the grand old party of indulging in “anti-national activities”.

On TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Arvind alleged that when Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visited for voter enrolment, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud did not respond. He claimed that this was the reason a notice was issued to him.

Arvind said Mahesh Kumar Goud was a voter in Nizamabad and added that, if required, he himself would facilitate his enrolment.

He also claimed that there was no possibility of Rohingyas or Bangladeshis being enrolled as voters in the area.