Somebody must take responsibility if illegalities committed during SIR, says Ashok Lavasa

Former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa has said that someone must take responsibility if any illegalities were committed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, amid mounting criticism of the Election Commission of India.

Speaking at an event here on Friday, Lavasa said the Union government had scored a “self-goal” by amending the law to remove the Chief Justice of India from the panel selecting Election Commissioners, leaving the appointments open to allegations of bias.

It is also unfair to the people who are appointed, he said.

Things became a little more serious after the media reports on disagreements within the Election Commission, Lavasa said.

“Because now the allegations are about certain illegalities that have been committed. I think that’s a serious thing. I certainly can’t say (about the illegalities). But if illegalities have been committed then somebody has to own the responsibility,” he said.

The Election Commission was not empowered to change Form 6 (used for new voter registration) and the poll body was not competent to change the rules, Lavasa further said.

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