Reply today… Election Commission gives a jolt to Jairam Ramesh, refuses to give time in the case of threatening DM

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Monday asked Congress leader Jairam Ramesh to respond today and submit evidence by evening on the Home Minister’s claim of calling 150 collectors before vote counting. Ramesh was asked by the Election Commission to submit a factual account of the allegations he/she made in a social media post by Sunday evening. The senior Congress leader wrote to the Commission on Monday seeking another week’s time to file his/her reply.

In a letter to Ramesh, the Election Commission said, ‘The Commission outrightly rejects your request for extension of time and directs you to file a reply with factual allegations by 7 pm today i.e. June 3. Failing to do so, it will be assumed that you have nothing concrete to say in this matter and the Commission will proceed for appropriate action.’
The Election Commission said that his/her allegation has a direct impact on the purity of the vote-counting process to be held on Tuesday.

What did Ramesh claim?

Ramesh had claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was calling District Magistrates or Collectors and was ‘openly’ intimidating them. During elections, District Magistrates or Collectors are the Returning Officers of their respective districts. Ramesh claimed that Shah has already spoken to 150 District Magistrates or Collectors. The Commission said that no District Magistrate has reported any such undue influence as alleged by him/her.