KTR Questions EC Majority Rule, Seeks Supreme Court Role in Voter Roll Dispute

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao has questioned the functioning of the Election Commission of India, pointing to reported objections by two of the three Election Commissioners over decisions on voter registration, deletion and restoration.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr. Rama Rao took aim at the panel's majority principle. "Two out of three is a majority, or at least it used to be. Looks like the definition is changing now," he said. He argued that repeated objections from two commissioners were reason enough to scrutinise how the poll body operates.

"If decisions on voter registration, deletion and restoration are pushed through questionably, are we even a democracy any more?" he asked.

The BRS leader said the country's democratic future should not rest on an institution whose foundations are eroding. He appealed to political parties, constitutional bodies, citizen forums and the Supreme Court to come together to "save what is left of our democracy".

Turning to Telangana, Mr. Rama Rao said he was not surprised that the highest voter deletions were recorded in seats won by the BRS, which he said reduced the political contest in the State to "KCR garu Vs All".

He said the party would fight the matter in courts and among the people, and asserted that every illegally deleted vote would be added back.