A public interest litigation has been instituted before the Supreme Court, urging the de-registration of the Indian National Congress (INC) as a political party and the constitution of a special investigation team to examine alleged anti-ECI campaigns led by Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. The petitioner has also requested an ex-parte ad-interim order restraining INC, Gandhi, Kharge, and their representatives from issuing statements, conducting campaigns, or publishing material that could undermine the authority, neutrality, or credibility of the Election Commission of India during the pendency of the proceedings.
The petition, filed by Satish Kumar Aggarwal, former Vice President of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, claims he is aggrieved by what he describes as “nationwide anti-constitutional propaganda” by the INC and its leaders aimed at discrediting the Election Commission, a constitutional authority entrusted with safeguarding the integrity of India’s electoral process. The plea argues that such actions directly threaten the democratic framework of the country.
The petitioner contends that at the time of its registration, the INC had pledged fidelity to the Constitution of India. However, the recent public statements and campaigns by the party and its leaders allegedly violate that commitment and interfere with the statutory and constitutional functions of the ECI, which holds exclusive powers over the revision of electoral rolls nationwide.
Aggarwal further highlights that the matter concerning Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters’ lists is currently sub-judice before the Supreme Court. In light of this, the petitioner asserts that the INC and its leaders cannot engage in public campaigns or allege “vote-chori”, particularly given that one of the party’s MPs, KC Venugopal, is a petitioner in the Bihar SIR proceedings. The plea emphasizes that making such allegations while the issue is pending constitutes a breach of parliamentary oaths and a disregard for constitutional obligations.
The petition also points to instances where Congress leaders and party workers allegedly used unparliamentary language, including the term “vote-chori”, in print and electronic media, thereby maligning the office of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
In a related development, another PIL has been filed by an advocate seeking the formation of a Special Investigation Team, led by a former judge, to probe Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of large-scale electoral roll manipulation in the Bengaluru Central constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
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