Pune: Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI) over incidents of violence, ruckus, and inflammatory speeches during the campaign as well as on voting day for the assembly election . "The Indian Constitution has given ample powers to the ECI to ensure smooth and fair elections. However, I have never seen the ECI performing so weakly in any poll in its history," Chavan said after the polling ended on Wednesday.
The two major alliances — Mahayuti and MVA — had a fiercest poll campaign and both accused each other of using money and muscle to get voters. There were instances of poll officials seizing huge sums of cash while some politicians, including former home minister Anil Deshmukh, were attacked. On polling day, supporters of Shiv Sena nominee Suhas Kande and indpendent candidate Sameer Bhujbal had an altercation.
In Beed district, some people were booked for vandalising polling booths. Chavan said, "BJP realised it could not convince people on the issues of development and therefore used money and muscle power. It also tried polarising the state but the people thwarted its attempts.
However, it is sad that the ECI acted very weakly." The ECI is a powerful institution but Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought in a new rule about the appointment of the chief election commissioner and interfered with the process, he claimed. "It is no longer an independent institution.
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