Most parties opposed Bihar CEO proposal for holding assembly polls through virtual platform: Yechury

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday said that proposal made by Bihar CEO (Chief Electoral Officer) to Election Commission to hold the assembly election in the state on a virtual platform had been opposed by most political parties not only due to huge access deficit but massive financial resources that would be required to connect with voters.

In a series of tweets, Yechury also said that the gap between BJP and all other parties together in securing corporate poll funding has widened mfold.

"Bihar CEO's proposal that the entire election should be held on a virtual platform because of the pandemic was opposed by most political parties, not only because of a huge access deficit but massive financial resources that would have to be deployed to connect with the voters," Yechury said.

"The expenditure that would be involved to put together such manpower for a technology-driven system is simply mind-boggling. The gap between BJP and all other parties added together in securing corporate poll funding has widened mfold. The BJP's anonymous corporate funding and Electoral Bonds, without any upper ceiling, will sound the death knell for electoral democracy," he added.

He said the constitution mandates the ECI alone to ensure free and fair elections.

"The ECI must not only discharge this responsibility but explicitly appear doing it," he said.

Yechury said in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner several experts are of the view that details of electoral bonds should be made public for greater transparency.

"Several experts are of the view that if the electoral bonds scheme had been introduced to bring about greater transparency, the government must not restrain from allowing details of such donations to be made public," he said.

"Therefore, even if we go by the Commission's contention on the electoral bond regime in its affidavit before the Supreme Court, it becomes obvious there can be no free and fair poll, not to speak of a level playing field," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )