Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has challenged opposition allegations that the Election Commission's (EC) system is being manipulated to favor the BJP. Speaking at the India Today South Conclave, Lokesh, whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is part of the NDA, questioned how the BJP could have lost elections in states like Kerala, Telangana, and Karnataka if the system was indeed "gamed" or "fixed."
Lokesh's remarks came in response to criticism from opposition parties, including Congress, which have voiced concerns over the functioning of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He specifically pointed to Rahul Gandhi's electoral successes in Kerala, Karnataka, and Telangana as a counter-argument to claims of a compromised system.
Parties' Role in Voter Rolls
The TDP minister underscored the crucial role political parties play in the electoral process, particularly in maintaining accurate voter lists. "If you lose, there's a role of SIR. I mean, where is your organisation to even look at votes where votes are getting added? Have you done any homework?" Lokesh asked, stressing the need for robust booth-level organization.
He argued that blaming the Election Commission in the absence of a party's own diligent effort to oversee electoral rolls is misplaced. Lokesh highlighted that it is the responsibility of political parties to ensure every eligible voter is correctly mapped on the electoral rolls and to assist voters in submitting necessary documents.
Addressing SIR Concerns
The controversy surrounding the SIR and the EC's operations intensified following an Indian Express investigation, which reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections multiple times over decisions related to SIR, voter additions/deletions, Form 6, and electoral-roll systems. The Election Commission subsequently clarified that the nationwide SIR order and its schedules had received unanimous approval from the three-member Commission.
While acknowledging that the system is not entirely perfect and has areas for improvement, Lokesh stated that the TDP had sought clarifications from the EC regarding SIR and was satisfied with their response. "As a party, we've seen the letter that the Election Commission has put out. We believe that is in order, and as we go forward, we will give our input on how to make it even better," he said.
Lokesh also dismissed the argument that the deletion of over 13 crore names from draft rolls should automatically cast doubt on the entire process. He cited TDP's active engagement in Andhra Pradesh's SIR exercise, where 92% of votes were successfully mapped, as an example of how parties can effectively participate.