Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday sought the immediate intervention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to restrain the “misuse” of the Enforcement Directorate by the BJP-led Union government during the Assembly elections. A delegation of Congress leaders comprising Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Tariq Anwar, Udit Raj, Vineet Punia and Aman Panwar met the ECI and submitted the memorandum in this regard.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Singhvi said, they brought to the notice of the Commission how the “level playing field”, which was described by the Supreme Court as the basic structure, was not being maintained by the misuse of the ED for elections in Chhattisgarh and other states. “This was a serious assault on the basic structure and under such circumstances, the constitution and democracy were threatened,” he said.
Referring to the Mahadev App case, Singhvi pointed out that the Chhattisgarh police had already taken action with about 500 arrests and seizure of hundreds of laptops, mobile phones and other devices. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister had said on record that some people from Chhattisgarh were involved and they should be arrested. On August 30, the Chief Minister formally demanded a ban on the Mahadev App, but nothing happened, the Congress MP pointed out.
Singhvi also questioned the union IT minister’s statement that the app was not banned since there was no request from the state government. “Why does the central government need permission from the state government when it was the jurisdiction of the central government only,” he asked..
Singhvi referred to the ED’s stand that the matter was ‘subject to investigation,’ which means it will be probed in future. “The ED has been repeatedly claiming that it has proof, but the names it has been taking are not in the chargesheet. If something seriously wrong was taking place, why didn’t the ED act during the last six months and why did it come to action just a week before Chhattisgarh polls,” he asked. Follow channel on WhatsApp
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday sought the immediate intervention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to restrain the “misuse” of the Enforcement Directorate by the BJP-led Union government during the Assembly elections. A delegation of Congress leaders comprising Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Tariq Anwar, Udit Raj, Vineet Punia and Aman Panwar met the ECI and submitted the memorandum in this regard.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Singhvi said, they brought to the notice of the Commission how the “level playing field”, which was described by the Supreme Court as the basic structure, was not being maintained by the misuse of the ED for elections in Chhattisgarh and other states. “This was a serious assault on the basic structure and under such circumstances, the constitution and democracy were threatened,” he said.
Referring to the Mahadev App case, Singhvi pointed out that the Chhattisgarh police had already taken action with about 500 arrests and seizure of hundreds of laptops, mobile phones and other devices. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister had said on record that some people from Chhattisgarh were involved and they should be arrested. On August 30, the Chief Minister formally demanded a ban on the Mahadev App, but nothing happened, the Congress MP pointed out.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Singhvi also questioned the union IT minister’s statement that the app was not banned since there was no request from the state government. “Why does the central government need permission from the state government when it was the jurisdiction of the central government only,” he asked..
Singhvi referred to the ED’s stand that the matter was ‘subject to investigation,’ which means it will be probed in future. “The ED has been repeatedly claiming that it has proof, but the names it has been taking are not in the chargesheet. If something seriously wrong was taking place, why didn’t the ED act during the last six months and why did it come to action just a week before Chhattisgarh polls,” he asked. Follow channel on WhatsApp
