Congress leader Jairam Ramesh (Image Source: PTI)
On June 2, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted a controversial message on his social media platform (formerly known as Twitter), alleging that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was intimidating District Magistrates (DMs) by calling them. Ramesh claimed that Shah had already spoken to 150 DMs. In his post, Ramesh wrote:
“The outgoing Home Minister has been talking to the district collectors on the phone since this morning. So far, 150 officers have been spoken to. The attempt to openly threaten officers in this way is extremely shameful and unacceptable. Remember that democracy runs on mandate and not threats. According to the mandate coming on June 4, Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and BJP will be out of power. INDIA Janbandhan will be victorious. Officers should not come under any kind of pressure and should protect the Constitution. We are keeping an eye on them.”
The following day, the Election Commission of India (ECI) took note of Ramesh’s claims and issued a notice requiring him to provide evidence for his allegations by June 2. The notice, issued by ECI officer Suman Kumar Das, stated that during the election code of conduct, all DMs report directly to the Election Commission, and no complaints of this nature had been received. The ECI emphasised that Ramesh’s allegations were causing confusion and demanded evidence to substantiate his claims.
Instead of providing evidence, Ramesh questioned the impartiality of the Election Commission, accusing it of ignoring complaints against the BJP and its leaders. Amid this controversy, Ramesh requested an extension of seven days to gather and present evidence for his allegations against Amit Shah. The Election Commission denied this request, insisting on a response by Monday (June 3) evening.
In a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar strongly rejected Ramesh’s allegations. Kumar stated that it was improper to spread rumours and cast doubt on everyone involved in the election process. He questioned the plausibility of influencing 500-600 district magistrates and urged Ramesh to provide specific details so that any wrongdoers could be punished. Kumar also addressed demands from multi-party delegations for increased monitoring, confirming that there would be CCTV surveillance of the control units’ movements.
A delegation from the I.N.D.I. Alliance met with the full bench of the Election Commission on Sunday (June 2), urging the body to ensure adherence to all guidelines on June 4. In response to criticisms, Kumar noted that the Election Commission had issued over 100 press notes during polling to communicate effectively.
The Election Commission reiterated its demand for factual information from Ramesh to support his public allegations that Amit Shah had called 150 DMs just days before the vote counting scheduled for June 4. In a letter to Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh, the Commission emphasised the importance of the counting process and the negative impact of such public statements by a senior leader. Despite no DMs reporting undue influence, the Commission sought specific details from Ramesh to substantiate his claims.
On Monday (June 3), Ramesh wrote to the Election Commission (EC) requesting an additional week to submit his response. In his appeal, he stated: “On June 2, after receiving your letter, I asked my party colleagues to inform the Hon’ble Commission at the hearing about the basis of our concerns. These concerns were suitably elaborated, emphasising that our primary issue is vigilance. We cannot jeopardize serving officers by putting a target on their backs. Importantly, the spirit of our concerns relates to the documented high-handed behaviour of the ruling regime in misusing and intimidating official machinery, as detailed in complaints over the past six years. These were not charges against the ECI but a request to safeguard against such malpractices. The Commission has asked me for a detailed reply, and I shall provide one. However, given my official duties in the two days before the counting, I request a short extension of one week to file a detailed reply.”
In response, the EC rejected Ramesh’s request for an extension. The letter to Ramesh stated, “The Commission hereby outrightly rejects your request for a time extension and directs you to file your response along with the factual matrix/basis of your allegation by 7 PM today, June 3. Failing this, it would be presumed that you have nothing substantive to say, and the Commission will proceed to take appropriate action.”
The EC emphasised that Ramesh’s allegation—that attempts have been made to influence the district magistrates of around 150 parliamentary constituencies, who are also the returning officers and district election officers—has serious implications for the integrity of the counting process scheduled for Tuesday. The EC noted that no DM has reported any undue influence as alleged by Ramesh.
Earlier in the day, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar criticised the allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, stating it was inappropriate to spread “rumour” and “doubt everyone.”
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