NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday said there was no communication to the chief election commissioner (CHECK) to attend a meeting with PMO officials on electoral reforms and that a letter of November 16 from the law ministry to the panel had made it clear that the secretary of the Election Commission was to attend a virtual meeting to iron out certain related issues.
However, the CEC and the two election commissioners participated at a subsequent “informal virtual meeting”, meant for “ironing out two or three aspects” related to electoral reforms to be presented before the Cabinet.
On November 15, the law ministry had sent a letter to secretary, Election Commission to attend a meeting on November 16. A clarification issued on Saturday by the law ministry said though the letter was addressed to EC secretary and “the final operative paragraph of the letter also requested the secretary, EC to attend the meeting, the CEC spoke to the secretary, legislative department, expressing displeasure over the expression in the middle part of the letter which gave an impression that it was expected of the CEC to attend the meeting. The secretary, legislative department, clarified that the letter was for secretary or a representative of the CEC familiar with the subject to attend the meeting”.
“This meeting on 16 November was a virtual meeting and no physical meeting was organised in the PMO. The said virtual meeting was attended by officials of the government and the Election Commission,” the note said. This official meeting required further fine-tuning of certain issues, including the qualifying dates for updation of electoral roll, Aadhaar-voter ID linkage and requisition of premises, it said.
“After the official meeting, a separate informal interaction was held virtually with the CEC and the two ECs. It may be noted that the discussion was held together with all three commissioners of ECI, and virtually,” the note said. The government further clarified that these virtual interactions were important for drafting of a proposal by the legislative department of the law ministry, which was placed for consideration before the Union Cabinet for introducing ‘The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021’ during the current session of Parliament.
“Since Election Commission has the necessary expertise and mandate regarding electoral rolls and in the light of the previous letters of the CEC addressed to the law minister, the secretary, legislative department, thought it appropriate to invite officials of EC to this meeting,” it added.
However, the CEC and the two election commissioners participated at a subsequent “informal virtual meeting”, meant for “ironing out two or three aspects” related to electoral reforms to be presented before the Cabinet.
On November 15, the law ministry had sent a letter to secretary, Election Commission to attend a meeting on November 16. A clarification issued on Saturday by the law ministry said though the letter was addressed to EC secretary and “the final operative paragraph of the letter also requested the secretary, EC to attend the meeting, the CEC spoke to the secretary, legislative department, expressing displeasure over the expression in the middle part of the letter which gave an impression that it was expected of the CEC to attend the meeting. The secretary, legislative department, clarified that the letter was for secretary or a representative of the CEC familiar with the subject to attend the meeting”.
“This meeting on 16 November was a virtual meeting and no physical meeting was organised in the PMO. The said virtual meeting was attended by officials of the government and the Election Commission,” the note said. This official meeting required further fine-tuning of certain issues, including the qualifying dates for updation of electoral roll, Aadhaar-voter ID linkage and requisition of premises, it said.
“After the official meeting, a separate informal interaction was held virtually with the CEC and the two ECs. It may be noted that the discussion was held together with all three commissioners of ECI, and virtually,” the note said. The government further clarified that these virtual interactions were important for drafting of a proposal by the legislative department of the law ministry, which was placed for consideration before the Union Cabinet for introducing ‘The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021’ during the current session of Parliament.
“Since Election Commission has the necessary expertise and mandate regarding electoral rolls and in the light of the previous letters of the CEC addressed to the law minister, the secretary, legislative department, thought it appropriate to invite officials of EC to this meeting,” it added.
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