Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi and other I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders on Friday met with the Election Commission in New Delhi over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case amid the campaigns for the Lok Sabha elections.
“We had a detailed discussion with the Election Commission. We told them that this is a very serious issue, and is not just about a specific person or party. This is a broader issue because it is concerned with the basic structure of the Constitution. The basic structure states that if any constitutional amendment is against the basic structure, then that amendment can be declared unconstitutional,” said Singhvi.
Almost every opposition party’s member is here and this incident happened late at night (arrest of Delhi CM) and it impacts free and fair elections and ultimately democracy, he said after the meeting with the poll body.
“When a level playing field is needed for election and you do not let the field be levelled by misusing agencies, it impacts free and fair elections and ultimately democracy. The Election Commission has been given the responsibility and is the police to protect this level field,” he added.
We requested the Election Commission to interfere, he asserted.
“In the history of 75 years of independent India, the first time a sitting CM has been arrested. The account of the grand old and the biggest opposition party has been frozen. We have given evidence of the misuse of agencies against the opposition leaders. We asked if the election commission can change the DGP, secretary then why it does not control these agencies?…” he said.